


Stolen

by orphan_account



Category: Septiplier - Fandom
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bad Writing, Cutting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Fuck Mate, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Kind of happy ending, M/M, Rape, Rape Recovery, Road Trips, Self-Harm, Sexual Abuse, Sloppy Ending, Suicide Attempt, THERE'S TWO OF THE BASTARDS?!?!?, The Author Is A Depressed Piece Of Shit, The Author Is A Piece Of Shit In General, The Author Likes Feedback, The Author Regrets Everything, The Writing Turns To Shit About Midway Through, i am trash, rushed ending, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-07-13 22:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 31
Words: 33,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7141457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is kidnapped. When Mark finds him again with the help of the police, he's sustained serious injuries to his body and his mind. Mark has to try his best to piece Jack back together again, but in the end, does he succeed?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stolen

**Author's Note:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so I'm coming back and revamping this, starting out by fixing the summaries and notes issue and fixing some of the spelling and grammar. I might rewrite it, I might not?? I don't really know??? I value all feedback through kudos, comments, and if you feel like going that far, asking me through Tumblr via DMs or my ask box. Both are always open! Tell me if I should rewrite it or if I should leave it!
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

The sound of the door closing echoed throughout the house. It was a nice home, situated in LA. It had a nice interior, wood floors and light blue walls. The living room was a large room, a leather couch sitting in the middle of it with a TV on a stand right by it. This is where Jack had decided to curl up under a few layers of blankets and watch a movie on his laptop. Mark smiled. He looked unbelievably happy like that. He had his plain white earbuds in. Mark walked over, not wanting to disturb him, and sat down by his feet. Jack looked up and paused the movie he was watching. “Hey Mark.” he said groggily, as if he had just woken up. “How’d grocery shopping go?” Jack asked, smiling. “Eh, the lines were long and the people were rude, as always. But I got your coffee and I got some food for us to eat tonight.” Mark replied. “Sounds good.” Jack said, taking out his earbuds. He checked the time. It was nearly noon. “Ah, I gotta go record.” Jack said abruptly. “I should go record, too.” Mark replied, and they both went their separate ways.

Jack had moved from Ireland to LA to live with Mark. They had already been dating for a year and long distance wasn’t going to work if they wanted to advance their relationship. Jack said goodbye to all his family and friends in Ireland and moved to live with Mark. But, luckily for them, the YouTube HQ was only a couple hours away. They could drop by any day and speak with the people that worked there about current events and it was a nice place to hang out for a day. They usually went there for some sort of meeting or to just unwind when life was just too much. They were also in range of many other YouTubers, so they could collab with any of the nearby YouTubers. It was fun to live there. Jack felt like he had made a good choice in moving there. And the fans were ever supportive of their relationship, which was a relief to both of them.

Jack decided to record Happy Wheels and Reading Your Comments, and Mark edited a Happy Wheels Highlights video. Jack spent a bit more time in the recording studio than Mark today, and Mark decided to get started on the chicken soup that they would have tonight. He preheated the pot and water before dumping chicken, celery, carrots, and some spices into the soup. He let that sit while he checked the comments of his video, most of them positive and normal. Nothing was out of the ordinary today. It was just a normal Friday evening. After they ate, they would probably eat some ice cream, cuddle up for a show, and fall asleep in their bed. 

Mark got up and got out two bowls and two spoons, setting them on the table that they always ate at. He turned off the stove and left the kitchen to go tell Jack that dinner was ready. Jack was watching the video that Mark had uploaded today while curled up under a blanket in his chair. Mark knocked on the doorframe, alerting Jack of his presence. “Dinner’s up.” Mark said when Jack turned around and then headed back to the kitchen. Jack lazily threw off his blanket and walked towards the kitchen, where the pot of chicken soup and a strainer with noodles in it waited. Mark had already gotten his food and the crackers out. “Smells good.” Jack said as he poured the soup over his noodles. He proceeded to sit down by Mark. “Appropriate for the middle of winter, Mark.” Jack remarked before he dug in. Even Chica got up and begged for Mark’s food. He simply waved her off and continued eating.After that, they went and watched 2 episodes of Doctor Who while cuddling before they went into their bedroom and fell asleep, Mark curled around Jack. 

The next morning, Mark got up first. He slowly unwrapped himself from Jack, being careful not to wake him up. He tiptoed off to the kitchen, where he started making Eggs Benedict for brunch. It was already 11, and it would probably 11:45 before the food was done. Mark started cooking the canadian bacon first, frying it in the pan. He then made the poached eggs with a nifty device that you just had to crack the eggs into and put it in the microwave. He made four poached eggs, and he could make more if they needed it. He was in the process of making the hollandaise sauce when Jack stumbled his way into the kitchen. His hair was a mess and his eyes were half closed, and he had on Mark’s Captain America shirt. Mark smiled. He was always so cute in the mornings. “Morning, sunshine.” Mark said as he stirred the hollandaise sauce, and simply got a grunt in reply. However cute he may be, he wasn’t a morning person. Jack decided to help and got out the english muffins and put them in the toaster oven. He then made himself some coffee, using the stuff that Mark got him yesterday. After he had drank half the cup, he seemed almost conscious and even spoke. “Date night tonight?” He asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Yes indeed.” Mark said, leaning over to kiss Jack on the cheek. The small Irishman smiled as he downed another quarter of his mug and set it down to get the english muffins out of the toaster oven. Mark turned off the stove, since everything was ready, and got himself a plate and food. They both sat down and ate, and then they went out to see a movie after that. 

They then went back home and recorded their videos for the day. Mark was finished earlier than Jack again and checked his Twitter and Instagram for a bit before heading to the bedroom and getting dressed. He got out his suit and put it on, making sure it fit properly before going into the bathroom and styling his flaming red hair. He could hear Jack close the door to his studio and come into the bedroom to change as well. They both stood in front of the bathroom mirror and styled their hair before heading out, Jack pecking Mark on the cheek as they headed out the door. Mark, being the gentleman he was, opened the car door for Jack. He hopped in and turned the key in the ignition of the red 2012 Toyota Camry he drove. 

They were soon at a fancy restaurant in the area named ‘A Food Affair’ where Mark parked the car and opened the car door and restaurant door for Jack. It was a very nice restaurant, French, of course. The interior was a nice white and mahogany in coloring with brown tables and a nice, cozy atmosphere. It wasn’t overly crowded, a few couples here and there. The chef greeted us and led us to our table, a surprise to both of us, for service anywhere wasn’t quite this nice. We both sat down at the table, taking notice of the neat silverware. “You really have outdone yourself this time, haven’t you, Mark?” Jack asked. “Well, I got a few recommendations to come here when I was single, but I didn’t have anyone to take with me, but now that I have you, I can take you out to a place like this.” Mark replied, smiling. The waiter came quickly, and they both got lemonade to drink and started out with the French Onion Soup. The soup came with one spoon, which of course they shared, and they finished it quickly.

Jack ordered Bouillabaisse for his main course with a side of Sweet Potato Fries and Mark got their Black Angus Rib Eye Steak. They both chowed down when the food arrived, the chef checking in with them several times to make sure that the food was good and they were satisfied. He didn’t treat them any less because they were gay, which made Mark and Jack happy. They didn’t often get people that were so genuinely kind. Or people that were so genuinely kind to gay people. It just didn’t happen much in modern society. A few couples gave them odd looks, but Mark and Jack ignored it as they ate. They were used to it by now. They finished and ordered their French Chocolate Mousse and they shared it before they left. “I have to use the restroom. You can go hang out by the car if you wish.” Mark said, handing Jack his keys. Jack simply nodded and walked to the doors, receiving a hug from the chef on his way out. 

Jack walked out into the night of LA, and stood by the side of the building. He leaned against the brick wall and looked out into the night sky.  
All of a sudden, he felt someone grab him and pull him into the alley by the restaurant. But before he could yelp, a hand clamped around his mouth and he couldn't speak. He was pressed against the wall of the restaurant and he only saw the glimmer of the person before him before a fist came barreling towards his face and everything went black.


	2. Kidnapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whooooooo diving straight into the thick of it alright let's do this
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

I awoke in darkness. My head was bowed in an awkward position, and I appeared to be sitting down. The smell in the room I was in was musty and dank, as if I was underground. I tried to get up to get out. But the only thing I got was the tightening of ropes around my hands. My breath hitched in my throat as I tried to move my legs. I was once again straining against tight ropes. I started to panic, my shallow breaths echoing throughout the room. 

I couldn’t see shit. All I could hear was the sound of silence.

I still had a pounding headache from being punched in the face, and I felt something crusted under my nose, but I didn’t have any pain from my nose, jaw, or eyes, so nothing was broken. The cold, quiet darkness was actually good for the splitting headache I had at the moment. 

My head was literally throbbing, which I realized after I wad waken up a bit more thanks to footsteps emanating throughout the room.

I immediately saw my life flash before my eyes, as anyone would in the presence of what could be a psycho serial killer motherfucker. But when I tried to ask who it was, I got a nice surprise in my mouth. It had actually been there the whole time, but I just hadn’t noticed it. A solid ball lay in the way of anything I desired to say. But a noise came from my throat. Not intentional, of course. It was a small yelp from the realization of having a motherfucking gag in my mouth, just a totally normal fucking Saturday. 

And then chills went down my spine as the sound of footsteps was replaced with a blood chilling chuckle.

“Surprised? Don’t be, dear. We’ll have a nice time in here.” a deep voice said from the darkness. While he was saying this, I just felt my blood turning into ice at the way he said everything. Much like an insane person. Much like a psycho serial killer that’s about to murder me painfully and eat my guts for breakfast. I mean, no horror game in the world, not even Outlast, could make me feel the sheer terror that I felt right now. My heart felt like it would break my ribs and my stomach was churning with anticipation. I was probably going to die here. 

The footsteps resumed and stopped in front of me. I felt a hand placed softly on the side of my face, which I flinched back from. “Shh, stay still.” the creepy psychotic person touching my face said. How do you not expect me to flinch back from that, man? I mean, after that, I was personally expecting the line of “Your skin is so soft. It’ll be nice on my wall” or something creepy like that, but the psychotic motherfucker didn’t deliver, which I was glad for. Gave me a teensie bit of hope that I might make it out alive, but I was still doubting my chances of that. 

“I’ll be right back, honey.” He said, kissing my cheek before heading into the darkness. He should’ve had the lights on to see the mental middle finger I was giving him. But unfortunately, my hands were tied and I couldn’t yell obscenities at him or even tell him that I have a boyfriend. Then the lights came on all of a sudden, pulling me out of my thoughts and blinding me at the same time. Those were some talented lights. My captor turned around.

He was about the same age as me, and he had a slight tan on his skin. He had a narrow face, but it was long. He had high and pronounced cheekbones that sat by his striking blue eyes. He had a small nose and an average mouth. I mean, how else can you describe a mouth? His eyebrows were really well done for a psycho, which I was surprised to find out. His hair was obsidian black with two silver streaks in it, and it was combed and gelled back, standing up slightly, but not messily. He had some stubble for facial hair on his upper lip and on his chin. Very similar to mine, actually. He was wearing a simple black collared shirt with the sleeves folded to his elbows with black jeans and red converse with black laces. He actually was quite handsome, but only in looks. Not in personality. Not winning any prizes for best personality anytime soon, that was for sure. 

He strode towards me as I got even tenser. Something about this man made me very uncomfortable. He leaned over and caressed my face again before moving behind me. I was scared at first, but then realized that he was taking off my gag. Once it was out, I closed my mouth and felt how dry my mouth was. I looked up at him after I got used to no gag. 

“Hey. Looks like I got a fine catch. What’s your name?” he said, smiling broadly. “J-Jack. Why do you ask? Why when I’m probably just a pawn for you, something insignificant? “ I said, my voice rising as I went on. “Shhh, no need to get aggressive, kitten.” He said with a lilt in his voice. “My name’s Ethan, and I’m here… for you, Jack. And also, just a hint, look around the room. You may like it, it’s pretty cozy.” the man said. I took Ethan’s advice and looked around the room. And I got a nasty surprise. 

Whips, chains, and restraining devices littered the walls hung on neat, wooden shelves. Yeah, just when I thought I might get, you know, a spot of coffee, some cookies, maybe some cake, but apparently not. Definitely not. “You think that I’m fucking game for this shit? No, you sick and nasty excuse for a human being! Ever heard of consent? Yeah, it’s something I’M NOT GIVING TO YOU!” I screamed from my chair, my Irish accent shining through more than usual. “Oh, kitten, you have much to learn.” Ethan said, leaning in from his spot and kissing me.

I tried to get away, I really did, but, y’know, you can only do so much while tied to a chair. So I had to endure a kiss. It wasn’t the worst kiss I’ve ever had, no taste of alcohol or drugs. But I did not enjoy it one bit, which should have been obvious giving how far I had tilted my chair back and how far I was leaning my head back. But all to no avail. The asshole perv that went by the name ‘Ethan’ was really scaring me and angering me at the same time. But in my gut, I felt as though scared might take over. My anger could only last so long.

We finally separated after the ordeal. I was fucking relieved to have it end, but the creepy asshole perv decided he wanted more. But thankfully, the ringing of a phone interrupted him. I would’ve gotten on my hands and knees and kissed the ground if I could. Well, not the ground of a concrete BDSM dungeon, but actual ground. But when Ethan took it out, I realized it was my phone. 

“Oh, a person named Mark is calling you. What’s your status with them, if I may ask?” He asked.  
“We’re just friends.” I said through gritted teeth.

“Just friends?” he said, hovering his finger above answer.

And then he pressed it.

God fucking damnit.

Mark immediately broke out into a rant about how they were searching all over for me and how much he loved me and stuff like that. Which was totally understandable, since his boyfriend had disappeared off the map and he was probably super worried about me. But Ethan just raised one eyebrow and smiled. “Jack’s still tied to my favorite chair. This is Ethan. How may I help you, Mark?” He said, looking at me the entire time as i was giving him daggers with my eyes.

I really wanted to give him the middle finger then.

But instead, Mark freaked. But in the middle of his ranting, Ethan hung up. “Definitely just friends.” he said mockingly.

I vowed that I would murder him in the middle of the night right then and there.

But before I could vow anything else, Ethan walked over to the shelf with the whips and gingerly took one off, before turning back around and striding confidently towards me, tapping the whip on his hand on every stride.

I was not going to enjoy this, was I?


	3. Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark finds out the truth after a lot of crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be gone Wednesday-Saturday this week, so I'll be trying to churn out 1 or 2 more chapters for you guys.
> 
> omg guys im sobbing im coming back and fixing the notes and summaries of this and i noticed that i spelled marks name wrong someone come shoot me hoooOOOOOOO
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

I walked outside after I had refreshed myself. I had gotten a hug from the chef, which was nice, and I walked out, expecting Jack to be there, waiting for me. 

But I got something different. 

I walked out and looked around the building, only finding my keys in an alley. Jack was just gone. Without a trace. Like a puff on the wind. Nothing. I tried to stay sensible, taking my phone out of my back pocket and trying to call him over and over again. Everything went straight to voicemail. I tried texting. No response. I tried every human way I could to get in touch with him, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Skype, Facetime, YouTube, etc. Nothing worked. He had just dropped off the map. 

I got into the car, my hands shaking slightly as I closed the door and grabbed the wheel. I turned the keys in the ignition and listened to the car rumble to life. I didn’t know where to go as I backed out of the parking lot, my passenger seat empty. I wouldn’t go home, because I would lose myself, and I didn’t want to stop by any friends houses to tell them. I just let my hands on the wheel guide me somewhere. I just focused on the road in front of my ears, my knuckles turning whiter and whiter and my eyes getting more and more teary as I drove.

When I finally parked at the police station, I got out of the car full out sobbing. I didn’t even bother to tidy myself up before I walked in. I opened the door slowly, shuffling in with my face buried in my hands. After a bit of just standing there, I looked up to see everyone there had turned their heads to focus on me. I muttered a quick “Sorry” before going up to the front desk. The person at the front desk looked up at me, his expression changing when he saw my red, splotchy face.

“Hello, sir, what may I do for you?” he asked while I was trying to stop crying. 

“It’s my boyfriend. He’s gone. I’ve tried to get in touch with him and…” I trailed off, burying my face into my hands, tears flowing from my eyes again.

“What was his name?” an officer coming out from the room behind the front desk asked.

“Sean William McLoughlin. He’s 26 years old. He has green hair and slight stubble on his face, bright blue eyes an…” was all I managed to choke out before I started up again. “And was last seen wearing a tuxedo.” I managed before sobbing into my hands. Why couldn’t I pull myself together? All I could do was sob right now. 

“And what’s your name?” the officer asked, scribbling in a notepad. I sobered up a bit and choked out “Mark Edward Fishbach.” before I looked up, teary eyed. “Look, Mr. Fishbach, we will find your boyfriend. Has he ever gone missing before?” he asked. 

“No. He hasn’t.” I replied. 

“Has he been acting strangely recently?”

“Nothing except for him being awake when I got home on Friday.” I said, smiling at what seemed to be so long ago, even though it was only yesterday.

“You may take a seat, Mr. Fishbach.” the officer said as a lady came up to him. I moved over to the waiting room. I couldn't believe Jack was missing. That happy, cute Irish bastard that lit up my life was gone now, and I felt so empty without him. I could barely wrap my head around the whole thing. But even though I couldn’t wrap my head around it all, I still tried to fix it.

I hardly even noticed that the waiting room was emptying out. I kept on trying to find him, consistently calling and checking social media. I didn't tweet out that he was missing. I reassured myself that he had just walked away after a stray cat or dog or something and got lost, but something in my gut kept pushing that thought down, convincing me that he could be seriously hurt. So my searching became more and more frantic as the night went on, my thumbs turning numb and my back starting to ache from using my phone so much.

Eventually, the same officer came over and tapped my shoulder, “C’mon, I’ll take you home.” he said, smiling warmly. I slowly stood up and followed him outside of the building, where I sat down in the passenger seat of his personal car and got on my phone again. “You really care about him, don’t you?” the officer said. I looked up. “Yeah. We just had a date tonight. I was planning on proposing to him next week.” I said, tears filling my eyes once again. Jesus christ, I was a 26-year-old man. I should not cry this much. The officer didn't say anything in response. He simply put the car in gear and backed out of the parking lot.

After about 15 minutes, the car pulled into my driveway. I quickly thanked the officer and walked up the steps to my house, opening the door and stepping in, not even bothering to look behind myself as I stepped into Jack and I’s house. But I simply stood, dry-eyed as I stared at the crumpled blankets Jack and I had been laying under yesterday night and the bowls that we had eaten out of still sitting in the dishwasher. But I didn't cry, just felt a pressing emptiness.

I walked over to the couch and straightened the blankets, and then walked over to the dishwasher and put soap in it, walking away from the dishwasher after I closed it and started it. I walked into our bedroom and looked at Jack’s clothes still all over the floor. He never picked up his things. I gingerly picked them up and put them in a laundry basket before I took my suit off and hung it up in our closet. I threw on a loose pair of pants and an old shirt before I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I then walked out of the bathroom and laid down in bed alone. I curled up under the blankets and tried to ignore the lack of body heat next to me as I tried to fall asleep. But I couldn’t. So I got up and grabbed my phone, sitting down on my bed as I tried and tried and tried again to contact Jack.

It was all to no avail. I was about to put down the phone, but I accidentally hit the call button again, and I sat and listened to the ringing and nearly cried with joy when someone picked up.

“Hey, Jack, I’ve been trying to contact you for hours and hours on end to no avail. I’ve been so worried about you. I went to the police and everything. I’ve gotten so worked up and I just want to know if your safe, and where you are at the moment,becaus-“ I broke out in tears. I had finally gotten a hold of him, I wanted so desperately to hear his voice again, to know where he was, to know that he was safe.

“Jack’s still tied to my favorite chair, Mark. This is Ethan on the line. How may I help you?” a deep, calm voice replied.

I sobered up for a bit after hearing that. “What? Tied? Why is he tied to a chair? Why is my motherfucking boyfriend tied to a chair by a guy named Ethan that I’ve never heard of, and what does Jack have to do with you? Why did you tie him to a CHAIR? Why did you tie him to anything at all?! Why is he with yo-“ 

I heard a click.

He hung up. Whoever that Ethan guy was was an asshole. And he had my boyfriend captive. Luckily, I had written down the one line he had said in the entire call.

And after that, I tossed and turned all night.


	4. Dominance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on churning out another chapter before I leave for the rest of the week.
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> my ask box is open!!

JACK’S POV

It had been a week now. I had given up on trying to fight back, be a smart alec. Those ‘qualities’ didn't help me in any way. And anyways, I was too tired to fight back. I now had scratches and welts and, to be honest, my ass hurt too much to do much. But, I had been untied from my chair and allowed to be outside of the dungeon. I had showered and eaten a bit. Of course, I was still pretty much a slave. I still had to do everything I was told to do, no question. And I did, of course, because of the fear of being back in the dungeon for long. I had actually gotten a new change of clothes as well. They were Ethan’s clothes, of course. I hadn’t gone outside the house all week to look for any new clothes. It was a simple black t-shirt and fuzzy black pajama pants. I still had my socks on from last Saturday for some reason. My tux was actually at the dry cleaner’s right now. 

Ethan walked into the kitchen I was currently thinking in. His hair was messy and it hung down his face. ‘Hey kitten.” he said, going over to the coffee machine to start his coffee. “I can do that for you.” I said, getting his favorite coffee out of the cabinet and getting a mug out. “How did you sleep?” I asked, turning on the coffee machine and setting it to ‘Medium’. I put the coffee in the machine and closed the lid as I put the mug under. “Fairly well. You?” He asked. The coffee machine finished pouring and I turned off the machined. “I slept alright. By the way, here’s your coffee, Master.” I said as I handed him his coffee.

I hated that word, Master. I hated doing everything for Ethan. I hated everything about what I was doing here. But it surely beat the alternative. 

“Thank you, kitten.” He said, taking a sip. I then went about to making breakfast. I wasn’t a good cook naturally, but being around Mark had helped enough.

Mark.

I wondered how he was doing right now. I wondered if he was devastated. Heartbroken. Wondering if he’d ever see me again. I bit my lip and held back tears as I got the eggs out of the fridge and got a pan out of the cabinets. 

I turned on the stove and preheated it, putting the pan on top. I had learned how to cook fast here with all of my previous knowledge and the fear of…. I didn’t want to think about that. Basically, everything I did was to please Ethan, or as he liked to be called, Master. I fucking lived to make him happy right now, damnit. 

“I was thinking we could head out to the mall or something today, kitten. Get out of the house a but. What do you think?” Ethan asked. “Sure.” I said as I cracked another egg into the pan. Ethan ate like a bear, and it was hard to produce enough food to make him satisfied. I knew that Ethan liked his eggs runny, so I let the eggs simmer in the pan for a bit before serving them on a plate and giving them to Ethan. I then went back to the stove and made one for myself before sitting down and eating. Ethan had already finished two of his eggs when I sat down and started on my one. I was no longer very hungry after this week, but I still finished my egg. 

When I was done, Ethan has already gone to his room to change into something to wear into public. I simply gathered the dishes from the table and washed them with soap and water before putting them back where they came from, including the pan. Ethan hated dirty dishes, and he didn’t have a dishwasher for some reason. Once I finished that, I went back to where I was staying, a small guest bedroom.

It was a nice enough room. The bed had black sheets and blankets, because Ethan loved the color black. The walls were a creme color and the dresser was a rich mahogany. The fan was a simple white ceiling fan with three lights attached to it. It had a black desk on the far wall and white carpet. I saw that Ethan had left me a pair of dark jeans and a black button up shirt laying on the bed, along with a pair of black Converse with a note attached to them.

“I looked at your dress shoes and saw that you were a size 9. I got you these to wear.  
~Ethan”

I changed quickly and went into my adjoining bathroom. It was a fairly nice bathroom with a large mirror spanning the length of the whole wall and a white counter. The sink had a Delta faucet and Ethan had already gotten shampoo and soap for the shower in the far corner and some hand soap by the sink. Today, on the counter was a bottle of hair spray and some hair gel to go along with it. I pushed the messy green mop on my head to the left, combing through it and applying some hair spray before I walked out of the bathroom. I closed the door to my room slowly and saw that Ethan was already standing at the end of the hall. He was wearing pretty much the same thing as me and his hair was styled back and gelled, as usual. It sent chills down my spine, seeing as that was the way I first saw him. He was twirling the keys to whatever car he drove on his finger as he waited for me to walk down the hallway before turning and walking out the door, me following close behind.

I squinted my eyes at the sunlight that met my eyes as soon as I walked out the door. I hadn’t been outside all week and it was spring in LA. I closed the door behind me and let Ethan lock it, since he had all the keys. Once my eyes got used to the sun, I could see that Ethan owned a black Camaro. What did I expect? I didn’t see the van that I was kidnapped in anywhere, but it was probably out back behind the house somewhere. Ethan opened the door on the passenger side for me and I slipped in. He shut the door and got in on the driver’s side.

Once he had shut the door, he turned to me. “If you ever decide to stray away from me, I will find you and we will come straight home to the dungeon.” He said in a low tone, handing me a pair of aviators. I nodded nervously as I accepted the sunglasses and put them on, my eyes automatically feeling relieved. He turned the key in the ignition and I listened to the engine purr to life. He put it in gear and backed out of the driveway. He actually had a nice house. It had a black exterior with white trim. It looked like it was 2 stories above ground, and I knew that there was at least 2 stories below the ground. From experience. 

We drove through the neighborhood, and the sign on the way out of the neighborhood, the sign said ,”Brookhaven Homes: Custom Housing”. Of course it was custom. We entered the streets of LA and I looked at the time. It was 11:28 AM. I knew that it was Saturday, and Mark usually went out on Saturdays. I wondered what he was going to do today without me with him. I had to bite my lip again, and I was glad for the aviators once again. Ethan didn't seem to notice. 

He was actually a decent driver, especially in the traffic. He didn’t get road rage once, which was impressive. Mark and I usually got it at least twice, even just going to the grocery store. Ethan was inhumanly calm and collected, except in our ‘sessions’. That was probably why he was always so calm most of the time, because he let out all of his anger on me in intervals. 

We pulled into the mall after 30 minutes on the road. It was lunchtime when we got there, and I was certainly hungry and Ethan most likely was too, because he was always hungry. He parked and we both got out of the car. We were at the Grove Mall, which was right next to the Beverly Center. Ethan immediately began heading towards Umami Burger. I knew it because me and Mark used to always come here to eat. We entered the place and took a seat at one of the tables that seated two. A waiter came over and got us our drinks. We both ordered water. The waiter came back and asked us for what we wanted. Ethan got a double burger with everything on it, and I got a single with everything. We were both served, and we both chowed down on our burgers and fries.Ethan finished his quickly, and had to wait for me to finish. Yeah, this was motivation enough for me to eat faster. I finished after a minute of Ethan staring at me expectantly. The waiter came over and Ethan paid for the food, since I didn’t have any money. Ethan left a tip of a whopping 30 dollars, which was about twice the amount of the meal. Ethan obviously had quite a bit of money. 

We left the restaurant and headed to the Apple Store. Ethan and I walked in and Ethan made a beeline for the Apple Watch. It was a slick device. Mark had one, actually, but it broke. He hadn’t gotten a new one before I had left. Ethan started talking to one of the Apple Store staff and me and Mark locked eyes. I didn’t even know he was there. He was actually walking towards the Apple Watch, but he focused on me and walked towards me. 

“Jack, oh my god.” Mark said, opening his arms. I waved my hands as frantically I could without having Ethan notice and shook my head. Mark let his arms lay by his side again. I motioned with my head to Ethan. He looked over to Ethan, hair slicked back with a black button up shirt, black jeans, and black converse. “Fan of matching, huh?” Mark mouthed. “A show of dominance.” I mouthed back. Mark raised his eyebrows and his jaw tightened. I bit my lip and felt my eyes tear up slightly. “I’m so scared, Mark. I really am. “ I mouthed to him. Mark just nodded and gave me a phone that he had probably bought. “It’s yours. You’ll probably only be able to text, but I don’t care. I need to know if your ok, and if you can, your location and your captor’s name.” Mark mouthed. I quickly looked behind me and slipped the phone into my front pocket as quickly as I could and turned around to face Mark again. But before I could do that, a hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around, met with a glare that could pierce steel pointed at Mark. 

Ethan looked back at me with the same look and grabbed the Apple Watch before walking up to the front desk and purchasing the Apple Watch. He then turned and walked out of the store and walked straight to the car, me in tow. Mark watched me leave, and I just kept from making eye contact. I knew what was going to happen. And I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t run away now or call for help. He got in on his side of the car and I slowly got in on my side and got ready for the lecture that would ensue.

Ethan sighed angrily and put the car in gear, backing out of the parking lot silently. I sunk down into my seat more and more, expecting the worst. I knew that tonight would be brutal. And I was not looking forward to it.


	5. Close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revamping is hard work. Especially when it's 1:00 on Christmas morning.
> 
> m e R r Y Ch r i s t m as2 m E :)))))))))))
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

I woke up and rolled out of bed. I didn’t really have much motivation to do anything. I didn't go to the kitchen or the living room. Instead, I went straight to my recording studio. I checked back on Twitter, where the fans were so concerned about Jack. People kept asking me about where he had gone, what had happened, or if they would see him again. I contemplated telling the public. I decided against it for now, going straight to YouTube and looking at the comments on mine and Jack’s channels. They were all flooded with concern for Jack. I didn’t see a single spam or hate comment, it was all just questions and support for Jack. I sighed and closed out YouTube and set up a recording. I was going to tell everyone through a video. 

I turned on the camera and started talking.

“Hello everybody, my name is Markiplier, and I need to share some recent news with you that hits close to home for me. Yes, it is concerning Jack. I wish I could tell you all what had happened to him, where he is, whether he’s alive or dead, but I can’t. I have no idea where he is, what’s happening to him, if he’s alive or dead. I have no idea. Nothing bad happened in our relationship, we didn’t split ways, nothing like that. No. I would know that he had left me on purpose. I would feel better than I do now. But that’s not what happened.” I stopped for a bit and ran my hand through my hair.

“Jack’s missing. He’s been missing for a week. That’s why he’s not uploading, why he’s not in the comments, on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, anywhere, really. We went out last Saturday and he went missing that night. He’s been missing all week. The police and I are searching for him everywhere. We’ve tried contacting him so many times. I’ve spent many nights just trying to call him, waiting for him to pick up. There’s been nothing. No reply. No pickup. No nothing. It’s like he’s just disappeared from the cosmos, like he’s been erased from reality. I can’t believe that he’s gone, just like that, just swept away like dust on the wind. I just can’t-“ I buried my head in my hands. I raised my head back up after a bit, my eyes filled with tears. “I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that I might never see him again.” I choked out. “Bye Bye.” i said solemnly, waving my hand sadly at the camera before reaching up to turn it off. 

I didn’t even bother to edit it. I just posted it straight to YouTube and stayed on the internet for a while. I got messages of support from both fanbases. It lifted my spirits the tiniest bit seeing all the support that everyone gave us. The internet could be a harsh, cruel thing, but it could also be something to cheer you up after something tragic, a place to go to escape where you always have a community to go to. 

After a while of that, I shut down my computer and went to the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. It was 11:01 AM. I might as well do something. I went to our bedroom and changed into a plaid shirt and jeans and slid on a pair of plain black shoes with white laces. I went into our bathroom and styled my hair a bit before I tried calling Jack 15 times more, and then I walked out of the house, keys in hand, about 30 minutes later. I hopped into the red Camry that the officer returned to me after the night he drove me home and turned the key in the ignition. I listened to the engine hum to life and I put the car in gear, backing down our driveway and driving through the rest of the neighborhood. I headed to Grove Mall to get a new Apple Watch, since mine had broken. I didn’t get road rage because of the emptiness that was a void for all of my emotions. I eventually got through LA traffic and parked at Grove Mall, heading to Madewell to pick up a few new pairs of jeans while I was out. I needed to burn some time anyways. I spent about ten minutes in there before I went to the Apple Store. 

And as I walked through the doorway of the Apple Store, a person with familiar green hair caught my eye. He was wearing a black button up shirt, dark jeans, black converse, and had pushed up his aviators. But as soon as I looked at his face, I knew. I knew that it was Jack. No matter how tired or worn down he looked, he was still Jack. He still had the bit of scruff on his chin and thick eyebrows. He was next to a man wearing pretty much the same thing that had slicked back black hair with two silver streaks on either side. He was currently talking to someone that worked at the Apple Store about what appeared to be the Apple Watch. Jack was just looking around. 

I turned away to look at the new phones Apple had churned out, and I decided on the iPhone 6s. I went up to the front counter and shelled out a few hundred dollars and I walked back to the doors and turned back around to look at Jack.

Our eyes met.

An expression of shock and joy spread across his face and I found myself walking towards him. I spread my arms for a hug once I got there, but he showed clearly that he either didn’t want one or couldn’t have one. I was confused for a moment until he motioned to the man behind him, talking to the salesperson. It hit me like a freight train and I realized. We mouthed things to each other for a bit and I slipped him the phone I had just bought. I could still use my current phone, and I would probably use the Apple Watch I was going to buy. But before we could talk more, the mysterious individual behind them grabbed their shoulder turned them around and shot me a piercing glare.

The mysterious individual that had grabbed Jack’s shoulder had slicked back black hair with silver streaks poking out near the front accompanied by piercing blue eyes and a slightly tan skin tone. He grabbed Jack and turned him around. Jack automatically had a submissive posture towards him, and he dragged himself through the rest of the store behind whoever he was being held by. I watched him leave sadly, then I bought an Apple Watch and left. I got in my car solemnly and returned home where I spent the rest of the afternoon on YouTube, watching Jack’s videos and trying to contact him. 

I got a text later that day from him.

“He raped me. Again. I didn’t get a look at where he lived. I was too busy getting yelled at. Hopefully he doesn’t find this.  
~ Jack”   
I cried seeing that text. Knowing he was still alive was relieving enough. I wanted to punch whoever was holding him and hurting him square in the jaw. I just wanted Jack back. I wanted to curl up with him at night, hold him in my arms. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.


	6. Recording

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y E P I M C R I N G I N G A T M Y O W N W O R K D O N T M I N D M E
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

I watched as Ethan dropped the whip he was holding and untied me from the ropes that held me where I was. I felt them loosen around my waist first, then my wrists, and then my feet. “You can go now, kitten.” I heard him say as he picked up the whip and put it back where it came from. I left the room and climbed the stairs out of the basement and walked to my room, where there were already clothes spread out over my bed.

I put on the black tee and sweatpants and slid on the black socks before looking at my cuts and bruises in the mirror. This time wasn’t so bad, there was just one cut on my back that I had to wash and put ointment on. I then noticed something when I turned back to the mirror.

I wasn't healthy.

My eyes were sunken into my head a little, and my cheeks too. My skin had a pale and sickly color to it, and I had bags under my eyes. I looked tired and worn down, which I was. My ribs were showing and I looked weak and scrawny. I looked empty, devoid of emotion. Where was the happy, excitable irishman that screamed at video games and made people laugh? It seemed like a whole lifetime away that I was dating Mark and doing YouTube, and then my world had flipped upside down after that one Saturday night. It totally ripped through my way of living and changed my life from the happy thing it had been, living with the person I loved and doing the things I loved most to being practically a slave for a man I didn't know. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t full of happiness or love. I was just empty now. A shadow of my former self.

Despite this, I was still expected to make dinner. I made my way to the kitchen and started making dinner. It didn't take long, probably an hour, before the buns were toasted and the pulled pork was ready. It had already been sitting in the Crock-Pot all day now, simmering in barbecue sauce, and Ethan lumbered in like a bear as always when I called him for dinner. He grunted a little and made himself two sandwiches while I only took half of one.

Once he was done getting everything messy and I was done being a slow eater, I picked up the plates and washed them before putting them back. I then tidied up the kitchen, cleaning the Crock-Pot and wiping off the counters and table before sweeping the floor and turning the lights off and heading off to bed. I would dust and vacuum tomorrow. 

I brushed my teeth slowly and washed my face. It had been a long day today, but not a particularly hurtful one. I had had very short and violent sessions before, ones that I had scars from. I then decided to go on my phone and social media had exploded. Mark had made a video, apparently, and I watched it on Mute with Subtitles on. My heart sank when he started talking about my being gone and then seeing all of the comments and posts and tweets that were so worried about me made me the slightest bit happier. There were so many people that cared about me and supported me and I was just gone, without a trace.

I went to the App Store and downloaded YouTube Capture, which was a little app you could use to upload to YouTube, and I decided to make some sort of vlog/update video.

“Hey guys. Umm, as you can see, I’m in a different place. It’s no big news that I’ve been kidnapped. I got a phone recently and I’ve been hiding it from my captor for a bit now. I’m just going to show you a bit of what I’ve had to deal with.” I whispered to the camera. The video would turn out like shit, but I needed to tell everyone what was going on.

I opened the door and walked down the hallway. As I passed Ethan’s room, I put my middle finger up. Luckily, he was snoring, so he didn't notice anything. I walked into the kitchen and panned around. “I have to cook all the meals and clean the house here. Scary, right?” I whispered in the kitchen. I then walked farther down the hallway and got to the stairs of the basement. “You ready guys? Yeah? Let’s go.” I whispered as I opened the door.

The stairway was dark normally, but it was a special kind of dark at night. My phone had given up trying to find light and the screen was just dark. “Into the depths we go.” I said as I walked down the cement stairs that lead to the dungeon. I finally got there after much shivering and looking behind me and walked to the small door in the middle of the hallway. “You guys ready?” I whispered as I opened the door.

I closed the door and flicked on the lights.

“Welcome to the dungeon.”

Every corner of the dungeon was shown, the whips, ropes, gags, chains, etc. My ‘special’ chair was in the middle of it all, and the steel loops coming off the wall still had the rope from today hanging off them. I walked over to the chair first. “This was the chair that I first sat in when I got here.” I whispered. I then walked to where I was today. I pointed to a small red stain on the floor. “Hey look, there’s my blood. Glad it’s just sitting here.” There was also Ethan’s semen all over the floor and walls, but I didn’t want to make anyone sick so I just said,”Look at all the yummy wheat byproduct lying around.” before I panned around the ‘equipment’. 

After I was done, I switched the camera back to my face and spoke again. “So yeah. This is the hell I’ve been living in. Abuse, rape, and slavery. My favorite. Well, that kind of gives you a general idea of what I’m doing these days and what I hope sincerely to get out of soon. So, I’ll see you guys again, hopefully. Once I get out of this prison. Bye guys.” I said with a simple wave before turning the camera off and uploading it to YouTube for everyone to see. I titled the video “Kidnapped” and just put the word “Help.” as the description. 

Once that was all done, I turned off the lights to the dungeon and headed back up the stairs, relieved to see Ethan still fast asleep. I hid my phone again and curled up under my bed, wishing for it all to be over soon.


	7. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slams fist on the shattered and charred remains of a table* I LOVE FEEDBACK SO MUCH
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

Mark's POV

I pushed open the door of our house. It was 11:30 PM and I had spent most of my day with the LAPD. We hadn't made any progress in finding Jack, just more failed attempts. I was just lost right now. I felt like I had let Jack down. It devastated me, and I was a true emotional wreck right now. My fans were worried about me because I was all over the place and stressed in my videos. I didn't get much sleep anymore and I only cooked around once a day because of how bad I felt. I was still vigorously searching for Jack, and that as taking up most of my life at the moment. 

I laid my jacket over the couch again and went straight to bed. I threw on some PJs and brushed my teeth and then collapsed. I had filed a Missing Person’s Report last week, and it was starting to get on billboards and on television. I had to look away from the sign when I was driving if his face popped up, or the name “Sean (Jack) William McLoughlin”. But I was glad it was getting publicity. Then there were more people keeping an eye out, which meant that Jack may be found sooner. The panic in our fanbases was only getting worse, though, and all of a sudden, it had gotten exponentially worse. I dug to what people were referencing. 

I was a new video that Jack had posted with his phone. No editing, specific lighting, and pretty bad sound. But it gave me a small bit of hope, and woke me up a slight bit. I had a bit more energy after seeing it, seeing that he was still alive, doing fine. And my determination exploded. I drove to the police station and went to the security footage from the mall, looking over and over again at street cameras. But the cameras stopped at the place where the car turned onto Rose Avenue. I got onto my phone and texted Jack. It was late and he probably wasn't awake, but it was worth a shot.  
‘Hey Jack, do you know what neighborhood you’re in right now?’ I texted, not hesitating to hit send. I looked over social media again for about 5 minutes before I got a response.

‘Not really. The company is Brookhaven Homes, and the neighborhood has custom housing. I don’t know what the neighborhood’s name is.’ 

I sighed. It was a start. I went onto one of their computers and researched Brookhaven Homes. They only had two neighborhoods, and I quickly found the one by Rose Avenue. I sat back in my chair and breathed deeply. I was so close. I could feel it. Taste it. Smell it. But I couldn’t let that cloud my thoughts. I pulled an all nighter that night and finally went home at 11:30 AM, where I collapsed on my bed, not even bothering to change, and fell asleep. 

I awoke again at 6:27 AM the next day. I must’ve been really tired to sleep for 20 hours straight. And as soon as I managed to drag myself out of my warm, comfortable bed, I immediately texted Jack.

‘What does the house you live in look like on the outside? I’ll try to see if I can find it. Also, do you know your captor’s last name?’

I went and made breakfast, scrambled eggs and bacon this morning, which was far more than most mornings these days. I took out a pan and a griddle and got out something to catch the grease from the bacon under the end of the downward slope of the griddle. I was in the middle of whisking the eggs when I got a reply.

‘Yeah. The house is huge. It’s black with white trim and curtains and an uphill driveway leading to a large garage. The garage is separate from the house. Is that good enough? Also, I just found something with what looks like could be a last name. Try Escaará.’ 

I smiled. I could use Google StreetView to find the house, because I had already found the neighborhood. And then I could look up the captor’s name. But I recognized the name Escaará. It nagged me all throughout me eating breakfast and driving to the police station. I finished making breakfast and texted him for a bit, asking him how he was doing. He replied with ‘Not so well’ and ‘On the downside’ a bit, but he was in a shitty situation. I was just happy he was still functioning. Out of nowhere he texted ‘Shit, gotta go.’ and I finished breakfast and sat down to eat.

The name Escaará. I had heard it before, but I didn’t know why. It was a big name, probably like a company or something. If the neighborhood was custom housing, and the house was huge, then I would think that his captor had some money. Logic, a very powerful thing. I ran to my computer, climbed into my chair, and booted up my computer. I searched up ‘Escaará’ and apparently, the current father was the CFO at Sony right now. So they did have quite a bit of money. I jumped out of my computer chair, got dressed, and grabbed my keys, heading outside. 

I started the car and backed out of the driveway at a dangerous speed and headed to the police station. I drove down the road at a speed faster than what I should have been going, but I didn't care. I was so fucking close to getting Jack out of the hell he had been in. I more happy than I had in the past two months. I felt like nothing could take this victory away from me.

But then there was the glare of headlights.

The horrible screeching of tires was followed by the breaking of glass and the sound of the airbags popping off. 

Time seemed to suspend, little glass crystals flying in midair and the smell of burning rubber on asphalt. I watched the front of my car crumple up like paper from the force of the collision. And then, when I just felt pain, everything around me went black as all of my progress in finding Jack was set back for weeks and months. 

When I woke up in a hospital bed, I only thought of one thing.

Jack.


	8. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E D I T I N G O L D A S S H I T W O R K S I S F U N :)
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

I woke up again to a new notification from Mark. I smiled, knowing that he was still looking, still hanging in there.

‘Hey Jack, do you know what neighborhood you’re in right now?’

I pondered this for a bit before typing in a reply. I had passed it, but it had been so quick that I didn’t see it

‘Not really. The company is Brookhaven Homes, and the neighborhood has custom housing. I don’t know what the neighborhood’s name is.’ 

I went on social media and saw the absolute panic that was going on in my fanbase right now. It was absurd. People were giving me all their best wishes and people were honestly very worried about me right now. There weren’t as many questions, but there was just more chaos. Even YouTube had tweeted out something.

‘All of our best wishes go to @Jack_Septic_Eye as he tries to get out of his current situation! <3’

That really warmed my heart. To know that so many people cared. To know that I always had support. 

Another text from Mark surfaced. 

‘What does the house you live in look like on the outside? I’ll try to see if I can find it. Also, do you know your captor’s last name?’

I knew what Ethan’s house looked like. It was all black with white trim. Pretty simple. Most of Ethan’s shit was black. For his last name, I didn’t know. I looked around the room and saw a plate on the wardrobe. ‘Escaará’. That would make sense, if he was of Spanish descent. 

‘Yeah. The house is huge. It’s black with white trim and curtains and an uphill driveway leading to a large garage. The garage is separate from the house. Is that good enough? Also, I just found something with what looks like could be a last name. Try Escaará.’ 

After that, I replied to a few tweets and texted Mark before I heard footsteps down the hall and the door slamming against the wall as Ethan entered the room. I texted Mark a quick ‘Shit, gotta go.’ and looked up. 

Fuck.

Ethan had seen the phone, and was pissed off about it. I gulped loudly. I mean, it was still 6:00 AM and he was up VERY early. I wondered why he was up so early. Maybe he had to go see some friends or family? Either way, he had come in to check on me and saw something he didn’t like. “H-Hey…” I said weakly, my voice cracking slightly. 

“I have a meeting today that I need to attend. I’ll have to do this quickly.” He said under his breath. He threw his suit jacket onto a chair and dragged me out of the bed and slammed me up against the wall of my room. I was originally going to try to ask about the meeting, but that thought was driven away by the pain and fear that I felt at the moment. 

He pressed his arm against my collarbone and pinned me against the wall, pushing my arm to the wall as well. “You have a phone? How nice. What have you been doing on it?” He said through gritted teeth as he pushed against my arm harder and harder until a loud crack sounded, followed by a sharp pain shooting up my arm as he let me go. I collapsed to the ground holding my arm. It was obviously broken, judging by how the bone moved when I touched it. 

He snatched up the phone and somehow got past the passcode. He apparently went to ‘Messages’ first and saw all of Mark’s questions. “Who’s this ‘Mark’, hmmm? Why is he asking about where you are? And why are you telling him?!” He roared before slamming a fist into my ribs, snapping echoing throughout the room as a few ribs broke. I cried out in pain and crumbled to my knees. “You think that you can evade me? Can hide things from me?” Another fist struck my square in the face and blood spurted out of my nose. My nose was broken.

He picked my up by my neck and pinned my against the wall, despite my struggles and begging for mercy. “A shame that I have to ruin this pretty face for a little bit, but kittens need to learn their limits.” He said through gritted teeth, squeezing his hand around my neck and constricting my breathing. I flailed for a bit, kicking out before I just couldn’t anymore. I my vision started getting fuzzy and I started getting lightheaded. He let go before I blacked out, throwing me against the wardrobe.

A crack sounded from somewhere by my shoulder and pain ripped throughout my upper body. Everything was dark and fuzzy now, and I struggled to focus on anything. I gasped for air and fell to the ground in tears, shaking and wincing at every breath as I could feel my ribs and collarbone moving in a very unnatural way. He stood over me as I wheezed for air. I couldn’t even beg for mercy. He then turned and walked over to the phone and stomped on it, and I could hear the glass shatter and the phone break. He then strode out of the room, grabbing his suit jacket and slamming the door.

I laid there for a bit, disoriented and immobile. I had just lost all communication with Mark and the rest of the world, and desperately needed to visit a hospital. But, despite that, a few hours later, my stomach was going absolutely insane, and I dragged myself slowly to my feet, whimpering and crying as pain shot throughout my entire body again. I dragged myself to the bathroom and turned on the sink as I cleaned up my face with my one good arm. The area around my nose was very swollen, as was my arm and chest. Ethan definitely knew how to make someone hurt. 

I winced every breath as I walked slowly to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. I got two pieces of bread and made a simple PB&J before retreating to my room to sulk. I sat down on my bed and ate my sandwich silently. I didn’t have any way to contact emergency services, and I didn’t know how my bones are going to be set and casted. I still had one good arm left, so I did everything with that. 

After I finished my sandwich, I got up again and prowled around the kitchen for some Ibuprofen. It wouldn’t do much, but it might make things slightly better. What I needed was to go to the hospital, but that wasn’t an available option. I just needed to suck it up and move as little as possible. I couldn’t find any pain medication, so I just went back to my bedroom and laid down, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.


	9. Wounded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark gets a visit while in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

When I woke up, all I saw was the white walls of the hospital and the storm of thoughts that were swirling around my head. None of them were about me, of course. They were all about Jack. How I had failed to get him out. How he might be in as much, even more pain than I was now. I ignored all of the pain I felt now and tried to sit up, only to be greeted by a nurse trying not to lose her job. “Please, sir, you need to sleep. You’ve sustained 6 broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken arm, a broken wrist, and a broken leg. You won’t be out of the hospital for a while.” she said calmly. I reluctantly laid back down while tears filled my eyes. “Is there any news from the LAPD?” I asked. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at me. “Excuse me?” she asked. 

“I’ve been working on a case with them for a missing person. His name is Sean William McLoughlin. He’s an internet celebrity, and the LAPD and I have been trying to search for him for a few months now. I was actually driving to the LAPD to give them some important information when I got in the wreck.” I answered, my voice cracking at random intervals. “Do you know him?” she asked, concern filling her voice. 

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. 

“Yeah. He was my boyfriend. We went out for a date and he got kidnapped. We’ve only gotten in touch with him a few times, many times where he’s reported another beating or rape. I had just found where he was when I hopped into my car to drive to the police station. We were so close. So, unbearably…” I trailed off and looked up at the ceiling to try to calm myself. Our progress in finding him was just set back at least a few months, maybe even half a year. The nurse said a quick ‘I’m sorry’ and left the room, leaving me to cry myself to sleep. 

I woke up a week and a half later after a bad dream. I found a few flowers and cards from family, friends, and officers. I smiled weakly as I reached over to pick one of the cards from the bedside stand. I then opened it fully and started reading.

“Mark,

You stumbled into the police station late on a Saturday night, your tux dirty, your hair a mess, and your face red and splotchy. I had originally thought that you were drunk or you just went through a breakup or something. I was the first officer you spoke to in the station, and when you started shaking and crying in front of me when you were explaining what happened, I could feel your pain. And I still do. We had his location for a day before our servers simultaneously overheated and broke. It was clearly an attack on our systems, and our Ethan Escaará appears to have quite a bit of money. I don’t doubt it was him who was trying to keep us away from Jack. This is a doozy of a case, and it breaks my heart to see how much determination you have to find him. And we will, Mark. We will. You guys will get married and have a life together, maybe even a few kids in the mix there. If Ethan had to attack the station, we could've been very close. So we just have to keep on pushing. 

Stay Determined,  
Officer Moore”

I closed the note with tears in my eyes. Ethan sabotaged the servers and shut down their information. It would take a bit to get new servers and get them online. So that set our progress back even more. I buried my head in my hands and tried to hold back tears. Once I had taken a few deep breaths and dried my face off a little bit, I reached over for another card. This one was black with a white border and it had hints of red. It was a little bit intimidating when I opened it and a little bag fell out and a note behind it was revealed in the card. The handwriting was a fancy cursive script and the note was short.

“Dear Mark,

Might want to give up before worse happens. 

Ethan”

I looked at the bag and saw three photos inside. I opened it and it felt like a sledgehammer just shattered my spirit.

The first picture was a bloody razor blade sitting on a clean white countertop, and there was a small green hair lying by it. My heart sank as I bit my lip. and looked at the next one. It was a picture of a wardrobe with bloodstains on it and scratches in the wood. There was a small amount of blood on the carpet as well, and a shattered phone lay near the blood. So that’s why there was no more news on Jack. He could be seriously injured, or even dead, for all I knew. 

The next one hit me much harder. 

It was a picture of a concrete room with wooden shelves. The shelves contained countless whips and devices. In the corner, there were handcuffs hanging from rope, and a few spots of blood and what I assumed to be semen on the wall. But the thing in the main focus of the image was a simple wooden chair with a whip dripping with blood laid across it. There was more assumed semen on the seat of the chair and I nearly puked. The back of the chair, the armrests, and the legs of the chair all had ropes dangling off them, the ropes looking like they had had some strain on them. There were more spots of blood and semen around the chair.

When I tore my eyes away from the image, I leaned over the side of the bed and puked up stomach acid. It landed on the floor with a sickening splat, and I kept vomiting until I had nothing left in me. I was physically shaking and my vision was darker than usual when I laid back down, and I looked down at my arm to realize that I had ripped out a few of the IVs. I threw the images and note onto the bedside stand and let my head hit the pillow, and sleep took over from there. 

I woke up another week later with a tray of food in my lap. I shoveled it down and then realized that someone was sitting at my bedside. I slowly put down the chicken wing I was demolishing and wiped my hands on a napkin before looking over.

A man with dark hair and striking blue eyes sat seated there. He had a slight tan and was well groomed. He wore a black collared shirt and tie with black pants and shoes. He had two silver streaks in his well groomed hair. “And who might you be?” I asked the man, and he looked up from the newspaper he was reading. “I’m that notorious bastard you’re after. The one that stole your toy. The one looking upon the blubbering fool that cries over something he knows he wont ever get back. And, I’m sorry to say, I accidentally broke your toy. I would give it back to you, but I feel like you don’t want to see it that way. And, before I forget, this is also the guy who sabotaged the servers of your best hope of finding your toy. Oh, boo hoo. You have a broken arm and a broken wrist anyways. How are you going to play with your toy without hands? How will you put your toy back together? How will you-“

I snapped and screamed. “Is he just a ‘toy’ to you? Is he just a pawn in your set, something easy to sacrifice? Is Jack just some small, broken toy? Is Jack an ‘IT’?!” I yelled, but Ethan didn't flinch. “Everyone loses a toy at some point, Mark. Stop making such a bug fuss over yours.” He said calmly. 

“Get the fuck out of this room right now, Ethan.I don’t want to see your monstrous face anywhere except for behind bars.” I said quietly. 

There was a moment of silence.

“GET OUT!” I roared at him, tears streaming down my face.

He slowly got upend pushed his chair back to the wall.

“Looks like another one broke.” He said quietly as he left the room, leaving me in darkness.


	10. Trained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack gets a bit of a surprise....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

It was about 6 weeks later. My bones were stitching back together nicely, and I was no longer cutting. Ethan still had a resident doctor and chef in the house, My bones were almost completely healed, and Ethan hadn’t struck out since then, and he was actually being very kind and friendly. But I knew that that could last for only so long.

A few weeks later, when I was completely healed, Ethan took me back to the dungeon. He promised that it was only to see how I was, if I had forgotten how to behave. And I might've been fully healed, but I was still in pain. I lashed out multiple times, and even with everything Ethan did to try to get me to shut up, I was still resisting quite a bit. Even more than when I had gotten there. Over the course of the next few weeks, Ethan kept bringing me down there, trying to get me back in my place, but I wasn't having any of it. And he couldn't break my streak. 

So, as any responsible pet owner would do, he finally gave in and took me to be ‘Trained’.

That day I woke up, and Ethan was standing at the door already. I looked up, confused, before he pinned me to the wall and knocked me out. I woke up in the back of his van, still tied and gagged on my knees. The van had a black interior with the windows covered up. Near the front of the space, there was a mesh screen separating me from Ethan, who was currently focused on the road. I grumbled lowly and sat there until the van slowed to a stop. Ethan got out and opened up the back, crawling in to undo the rope on my legs. Once that was all done, he crawled back out, me in tow, and I stepped out into an alley. 

Ethan practically dragged me to a small doorway, obviously the back way into the building. The alley was filthy, and I was glad to get into a surprisingly clean room. Ethan didn't seem to mind the filth, probably because he was used to it. He could've been in the business for a while now. 

We stepped into a pretty dark room, and it didn't have much in it. The room was fairly small, and it was concrete. It was still clean, though, and floors seeming like they were scrubbed recently. After I was done looking around, I found Ethan giving me a nasty look and another person standing beside him. I could only see their silhouette, so their face was a mystery.

“So this is Jack? Fine catch, he is. Shame that he doesn't listen.” The unknown man standing beside Ethan remarked. “Yeah. He was better before the injury. Being without discipline for so long has really set him crooked. I’ve tried to set him straight, but he has more spirit than he had before.” Ethan replied. “Too bad. He’s nice. He’s got some muscle definition, but he’s not too strong, and his blue eyes are very nice. He has pale skin, which is unexpected, but it works. His blue eyes and green hair are a nice touch. I wonder if he’s foreign.” the other man said.

The other man walked towards me and pointed to my gag. “May I?” he asked. “Have at.” Ethan replied. The man undid the gag and slid it out of my mouth slowly, which was nicer than what Ethan usually did, which was tear it out of my mouth without warning. “What the fuck is it now, you bastard?” I spat. The man turned around. “That would've been twelve lashings already, Ethan. A lashing for every syllable uttered out of turn, and two for swear words.Keep that in mind.” Ethan simply nodded. I gritted my teeth and held back all of the insults I had prepared.

When the other man lifted my chin, I was about to explode, but I opted to bite his hand instead. He pulled his hand away, his fingers bleeding. The man went on the offensive, pinning me to the wall and punching me four times. He didn’t speak, but his actions got the point across. He was preparing for another when Ethan spoke. “So, how long do you think he will have to stay here?” he asked. The other man lowered his fist and turned away. “Over two weeks, at this rate. We have some work to do.” he said. He then turned back to me. 

“Also, instead of calling me bastard, you can call me Xander.” the man spat, walking towards Ethan and whispering something in his ear before exiting the room through a door on the other side of the room. I was all alone. I had a chance to get out. 

I tried the door that I came in through. Locked. I looked for any windows. None. I tried several the doors. Only one opened, and it opened into stairs leading downwards. I had had my fair share of those, and it probably didn't lead to anything good. But before I could walk down it, Ethan and Xander came out of the room they were in and Ethan walked over to me. 

“I didn't want to have to do this, kitten. I didn't want to take you here. Xander can be cruel and hurtful. I told him to not to injure you, but he makes no promises.” Ethan leaned over and kissed my forehead before leaving in a hurry, Xander stared at Ethan the entire time until he was out the door. Xander then turned to me and slowly stalked towards me, speaking in a low voice all the while.

“Your master still loves you, surprisingly. With you being so disobedient, any other master would've discarded you already. But I’m not complaining. Your master’s paying me a lot to discipline you. So, I mean, I might be able to do it,” He grabbed my chin,”Anything for the money, right?” He finished his statement with a low chuckle. I shuddered. I didn’t like him already.


	11. Intel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark is so close...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the writing gets better i promise you have to wait a few chapters but it gets better gggggghhhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

I woke up in my house, Chica nuzzling my bedside. I slowly groaned and sat up, going to the kitchen to get myself some cereal. I never really ate a real meal anymore. I was too busy balancing YouTube and the search for Jack. The time I spent in the hospital had gotten my thoughts back a little bit, so I was a tad less stressed. After I ate, I did a video on a game called Muddy Heights 4. This game series had gone on way too long, but it still had entertainment value. 

After I had finished that, I headed down to the police station. They were just about done putting in new servers, and some of them ran and worked properly. I walked in and immediately went into the back where the computers were. He waved at a few officers and said ‘Hi’ before he sat down and got to work. 

They had found that Jack might've moved locations. A black van left the house late Friday night. The van went out of the city, only reappearing on the other side of LA. They hadn’t gotten any more done yet, since they just found the van a few days ago. They were still combing through the rest of the footage to see where the van went. Which is what I planned to find out today.

I opened up security footage of the roads in LA. This was going to be quite the task. I slowly started looking through, one by one on the road that the van was last spotted.It drove on the same road for a little bit before turning onto a small road that led to a warehouse. The van drove into a dark alley, and I had to zoom in on the footage. Somebody dressed in black got out and opened the back doors, crawling in and coming out with someone in tow. The second person’s arms were tied, and they might've been gagged. I couldn't see much of the colors clearly, but their hair had a greenish tint. 

I paused the footage and got out of my chair. I strode over to where Officer Moore was seated. “Hey, I think I found something.” I whispered. Officer Moore got up and followed me back to the computer, where I sat down again and pulled up the footage, going back to the place where the van turned into the alley. We both watched at the driver got out and opened up the back of the van. “Delivery?” Officer Moore asked. “Delivery of a special kind.” I replied, watching the second man unfurl from the back of the van, “That’s him, Mark! Now we just need to find the address of the building. Any idea?” Moore asked, motioning to the screen. “I don't have the faintest clue, but I can go back and see what the warehouse is near. 

The alley was located off of Westwood Avenue, and I then logged onto satellite imagery of the globe. I zoomed into the area and eventually found Westwood Avenue. About halfway down the road, there was a warehouse. 425 Westwood Avenue. It was currently vacant and abandoned, but someone was using it for something. 

Out of the corner of my eye, where the footage was still running, I saw the same man that was driving the van exit the building, get back into the van, and drive away. So, what? He had just dropped Jack off there? For what reason? Was there someone else there? There were so many unanswered questions. But I knew that we had to head to 425 Westwood Avenue and we would have a chance of finding Jack there. And I would take any chance to find Jack. It had been over four months at this point, and everyone was getting desperate. And the fanbase was just utter chaos and wouldn't be back to normal until Jack and I were back to normal. 

I called Officer Moore back and showed him the location of the warehouse and showed him the extra footage before he went to talk to the chief. He came and checked the footage and the location of the warehouse and gave us permission to take firearms and six police cars. We would leave at the end of the week, assuming that nothing changed. I was so close to having Jack back.


	12. Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “LAPD! We’re here for Ethan Escaará and missing person Sean McLoughlin! Reveal yourselves!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this section is going to be really anticlimactic i feel
> 
> im so sorry ;--;
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

It had been about a week since Ethan had dropped me off, and I was pretty much destroyed. Xander was a fan of degradation and really liked to see you in pain, and you can imagine how that turned out. He also enjoyed torture, which he had only used on my once. But once was enough.

Xander stood in front of me, both of us drenched in sweat and panting. A small grin was spread across Xander’s face as he undid my handcuffs. I fell to my knees, cradling my newly broken arm in tears. He left the room, chuckling as he slammed the door. 

Yeah, Xander wasn't good at keeping promises.

Xander was a scary person. He had vampishly pale skin with black hair that hung over his face. He had stormy grey eyes and sharp features. He tended to wear a leather jacket, dark jeans, and combat boots. But not your sissy combat boots. No. He wore military grade combat boots. He almost always had on fingerless leather gloves, especially in sessions. He was tall, probably around 6’3” and had a slender form. He wasn't as self centered as Ethan was, but he was more of an ass than Ethan was. He didn't seem to have any concept of kindness. He was the singular coldest person I had ever met. He wasn't as self centered as Ethan though, and didn't have quite as much money as Ethan. But he was worse than Ethan could ever be.

I sat there on the cold concrete floor in darkness, feeling pain wrack my entire body. My arm and my head were throbbing violently, and I should already be at the hospital. I was tired, starving, dehydrated, and scarred. I hardly got anything to eat or drink, which was probably something meant to make me weaker. I didn't sleep much, for I was too scared to. 

A knock sounded throughout the room, bringing me out of my thoughts. Ethan opened the door slightly and slid in. He flicked the lights on and stopped in his tracks, tears coming to his eyes.

I never thought I would see Ethan tear up.

“Hey, kitten.” he said quietly. I looked up silently and looked him directly in the eyes. “Why did you do this? Why am I here?” I asked quietly. Ethan slowly walked towards me, eyes lowered. “A mistake. Here, I’ll get you ou-“ he said before he was cut off by a bullet that fired into his brain. He dropped to the floor, dead. His lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. Xander walked over, gun in hand, and stood over his body. “You’re not going anywhere.” he whispered to no one in particular. 

There was silence for a few moments before there was a crash upstairs. “What the hell?” Xander said, turning around towards the doorway. 

“LAPD! We’re here for Ethan Escaará and missing person Sean McLoughlin! Reveal yourselves!” someone yelled from upstairs. Xander marched up the stairs, muttering unintelligibly. I slowly got up and crept out the door behind him. My heart pounded in my chest as I slowly crept up the stairs after Xander finished climbing them. 

If Xander had a gun with him, and if I was caught, I could die. This thought was very clear to me as I snuck up the stairs. Xander started yelling about how they had just broken in. Meanwhile, I found a blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders, which made me much warmer. I finished climbing the stairs and saw Mark. His eyes widened as he looked towards me and I waved my hands furiously to get him to not reveal me.

Xander had seen Mark, though, and started turning around towards my position. He started to yell at me before the police came back into the room and surrounded Xander. One of them stepped behind him, took his gun, and handcuffed him. I reluctantly stepped out into the open, like an animal entering a new home before walking across the floor, blanket still wrapped around me.

I was so close.


	13. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ' “Thank you, Mark.” he said quietly. I just nodded in reply and wrapped my arm around his shoulder as we stepped out of the building.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow my summaries are just quotes now haha
> 
> i feel like this is really anticlimactic. what do you guys think?
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARKS POV

It was Friday night, and we had gotten the cars loaded up. I climbed into a car with Officer Moore and he started the drive to LA. I turned on the GPS and punched in the address before we left the parking lot and we started driving down the roads. We didn't turn on our sirens, just in case the criminals ran when they heard them. 

We quickly got onto the highway and started driving to the location. When we got off the highway and made our way to Westwood Avenue, we slowed down considerably. Once we got to 425 Westwood Avenue, we surround the building and shut off the engines. Everyone grabbed their guns and slowly got out of their cars, making their way to the entrance, guns lowered. The front door was locked, and we eventually just smashed the door open. From under us, we heard a “What the hell?” and footsteps coming up the stairs.

“LAPD! We’re here for Ethan Escaará and missing person Sean McLoughlin! Reveal yourselves!” Officer Tebit shouted. Everyone dispersed and started looking for either of them. I stayed put by the doorway, as planned. A man emerged from a hidden stairway and started ranting. He was tall, around 6’3” and had freakishly pale skin. He had black hair that hung over his face and grey eyes. He wore a leather jacket, dark jeans, and combat boots, and he was not happy that the police had broken into his lair. 

In the midst of all his whining, I heard the faint sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. I looked over to the top of the stairway to see Jack standing there, wrapped in a blanket. 

My heart leaped in joy and sank at the same time. Jack did not look good. His face was crusted in blood and grime, and he seemed extraordinarily tired, but at the same time, very wide awake and alert. His cheeks had sunken in and his hair was an absolute mess. One of his arms was at an odd angle, and I assumed that it was broken. He was limping as well. 

The man that was ranting stopped yelling when he saw me looking towards Jack. Jack was waving his hands for me to look away. But it was too late. The man turned around and for a second, I was scared that Jack was going to get hurt again. Fortunately, the rest of the police force heard the change and they spilled into the room, surrounding the man, taking his gun, and handcuffing him.

Jack stepped out into the open after a few seconds and limped towards me. A grin spread across his face as he stopped in front of me. He hugged me, still holding the blanket. Before I could ask any questions, he whispered in my ear. 

“By the way, Mark, I was wondering if you had a change of clothes for me. The ones downstairs have countless holes in them and I’m completely naked.” he whispered. “Yeah, we brought one.” I replied, smiling warmly. We held each other for a bit before Jack let go. His eyes were filled with tears as he smiled. “Thank you, Mark.” he said quietly. I just nodded in reply and wrapped my arm around his shoulder as we stepped out of the building.

Once we got to the car, Jack grabbed his change of clothes and scurried to a dark patch, where he emerged a minute later fully dressed, carrying the blanket. I realized that he was in much worse shape than I had thought.

His shirt that used to fit him hung loosely off his shoulders, and his jeans hung off his hips. His leg was at an odd angle too, but what shocked me most was the countless scars on his arms, whether cuts or welts. “Jack, your arms…” I said quietly. “Long story.” he replied. I opened the door to the police car and watched him and the other man get in the car, and I shut it and climbed into my seat. Officer Moore started the engine and started driving. Some of the policemen stayed behind to search the building, to either find some more dirty secrets or evidence for a possible court case. 

Once we were on the main road, I twisted in my seat to face Jack. “Do you want a bite to eat or drink?” I asked before I realized that he was fast asleep. Officer Moore turned to me and asked,”Do you want to get something for him anyways? There’s a Pizza Hut at this exit.” I nodded, and Moore turned onto the exit. 

We got Jack a slice of cheese pizza and a water before getting back on the road. We drove for a while before pulling into the police station at 11:47 PM. The other man was immediately taken into an interrogation room from the car. I woke Jack up and watched him get out of the car. I then got the pizza and water and put it in my car before Jack and I walked back over to Officer Moore.

“Thank you so much for all you’ve done. You’re the one that did the most on this case, and I’m so grateful for that. I wish that I could give you something, but I don’t currently have anything but pizza, and that’s going to Jack. But I’ll forever be in your debt.” I said. “No problem, Mark.” He said, holding his hand out for a handshake. I took it and shook it before turning to Jack and leading him to the car.


	14. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though Jack's out, its not the end of his struggle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ,,,....,,.,.,.,...,......,,,,,it gets be tt e r
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

Even though I was rescued, I was still far away from being ok. And Mark knew that. Once we both got in the car, he drove straight to the hospital. We waited for a while before I finally climbed into a hospital bed. A few nurses came in and checked all my vitals, and then immediately went to the doctor because they were far from normal. After constantly being pestered by nurses, the doctor finally came into the room. Mark was sitting at the side of the bed, and he got up to talk to the doctor. I was almost positive that it was something about what I had just been through. 

The doctor stood by the bedside and took some of my vitals to start off. “How are we feeling tonight, Mr.McLoughlin?” he asked. “A tad better now that I’m out of Hell, but still doing pretty badly.” I replied. He slowly raised my broken arm and I winced, gritting my teeth. “We’ll probably need to X-Ray this, if that’s ok.” The doctor said. “Yeah, that’s fine.” I replied. 

I got my arm and my leg X-Rayed, and it turned out that I had sprained my other wrist. Some policemen came in and gathered DNA from my rectum before taking it to the lab to have it analyzed. They casted me and hooked me up to IVs to help get me healthy again, and then I fell asleep.

I woke up a week later, Mark waiting by my bedside. “Hey Jack. How’re you doing?” He asked. I smiled. “I’m doing alright. Better than I was.” I replied. Mark smiled and handed me some food and grabbed one of the cards from my bedside table. He started reading cards off one by one, and so many of them were from fans. It was heartwarming to see how many people in the world cared about me. He read some from family as well, and a lot of fellow YouTubers wrote cards as well. Not one had anything bad to say. 

Once he finished, he stood up and pecked me on the cheek. “I have to go for now, Jack. Rest up. Get better.” He said, smiling warmly as he slowly closed the door to the room. I then fell back asleep after a few minutes of staring at a wall. 

I actually had a dream this time, where I was back with Xander, being tortured and raped over and over and over to the point where my body just gave out on me. All the while, Ethan’s dead body still lay there, haunting my vision, even as I died. I awoke in the middle of the day in a cold sweat. My heart monitor was going crazy, and a nurse rushed into the room. I was physically shaking and panting from the dream. 

Apparently, I had been asleep for two weeks. My family had visited and were still staying in LA, and a lot of my friends were headed to the hospital as I spoke. Sure enough, after a little bit, Felix, Ken, Matthias, Bob, Wade, and Mark entered the room. I smiled incredulously as they all spilled into the room. Felix was the first to freak. “Oh my god, Jack, are you ok? I kept on hearing everything on the news and Mark kept calling me and everyone kept on asking me what happened! We’ve all had sleepless nights ever since you went missing.” He exclaimed. I chuckled. “I might have some mental shit and I might be drugged to Hell, but I’m fine at the moment.” I said. The tension in the room disappeared as I said that, and everyone but Mark gave me a hug. Mark broke the rules and gave me a kiss. 

“Have they caught the guy who did all this?” Bob asked. “They caught one of them, and the other one was shot by the one that they caught before they barged in and caught the one.” I explained. “That’s way too complicated.” Wade joked. “Well, he’s alive and breathing, right?” Matthias asked. All of us chuckled for a bit after that. We all stayed and talked for another hour before it was time for them to leave, and everyone left except Mark. 

Mark sat down on the side of my bed and looked into my eyes. “You never did tell me what the marks on your arms were.” he said thoughtfully. I sighed and brought back all of my bad memories. 

“Both Ethan and Xander were big fans of whipping and flogging. Th-“ “Wait, what did Xander have to do with anything?” Mark interrupted. “Well, with Xander, Ethan thought of me as a ‘disobedient pet’, so he sent me to be ‘trained’. Xander was the trainer, but he also killed Ethan for his money.” I explained. “Mark nodded slightly. “So with my arms, they were both fans of flogging. Xander more than Ethan, but Xander was also a fan of electricity. Anyways, they would sometimes miss their mark. And then Xander dug his nails into my arms when he was in the middle of raping me and Ethan once beat the absolute shit out of me. So thats the story of why my arms are so fucked up.” I finished. 

“That’s… Awful…”  
“I know.’

Mark stayed with me until it was nighttime, catching me up with the rest of the world. He made a vlog of me in the hospital, and then we joked around a lot. It was nice to be around my boyfriend again, to just sit and talk to him, to have him nearby. After we finished talking, he leaned over and planted a kiss on my lips. He then turned off the lights to my room and sat down in the chair next to my bed, both of us falling asleep around the same time.


	15. Cuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They said that it would take months for his body to recover. His mind might never be the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MARK CALM THE FUCK DOWN YOU'RE SCARING JACK
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARKS POV

I walked into my bathroom and flicked the light switch. It was the middle of the night and I really needed to use the restroom, But the restroom remained dark, and the lights were obviously not working. I exited my bathroom and decided to go to Jack’s.

Ever since Jack had gotten out of the hospital, he was plagued by his time with Ethan and Xander. He couldn't stand being touched or talked to in a moderately stern tone of voice. He had turned extremely fragile, and I was getting very worried. He refused to get any sort of help though, and I didn't want to scare him more by trying to force him. He had started sleeping in the guest bedroom because he couldn’t handle sleeping in the same bed as someone.

Once I got in his room, I tiptoed around his bed and slipped into his bathroom. But when I flicked on the lights, I got a nasty surprise.

The first thing I saw was the color red. It was all over the sink and counter. The bottom of the sink was cleaner, but it was stained, like this wasn't the only time this had happened, like it had been there for a while. I saw a shiny object out of the corner of my eye and turned my head to take a closer look at it. It was a blade, of course, and it was covered with the same color red. 

Tears filled my eyes as I tried to hard to stay quiet. I no longer had to use the restroom. I flicked off the light, tears blurring my vision, and clumsily snuck out of the room again. Once I got to my room, I collapsed on the bed and broke into sobs. How had I not known? How had I not asked, or seen before? Why now, after all the pain we had both been through in the last year?

I cried myself to sleep that night, and had a restless night, tossing and turning all the while.

The next morning, I woke up and ran my hands through my hair. I recalled what I had seen last night and teared up again. After I had calmed myself moderately, I slid off my bed and stood up. There was a mirror across the room, and it reflected someone that had giant red splotches all over their face. I sighed and headed to the kitchen. 

I was halfway through making breakfast when Jack stumbled into the kitchen. I didn't pay much attention, as I was focused on the bacon at the time. Jack made himself a coffee and leaned against the counter. “Hey Mark.” he said groggily, taking a sip of his coffee. I didn’t reply, still trying to focus on the bacon. “Mark?” he asked, his voice showing a hint of confusion. 

“Show me your arms, Jack.” I slowly ground out in a low voice, still hunched over the bacon.

“Excuse me?”

“Show. Me. Your. Arms.” I said, a hint of anger creeping into my voice as I looked up.

“Why do you need to see my arms? What’s so important about them?”

“Just roll down your sleeves and show me your arms, especially the insides of your wrists.”

“Mark, I’m not cutting, if that’s what your asking about.”

I gritted my teeth and sighed angrily. I stared straight into Jack’s worried blue eyes. 

“Then what about the blood all over the countertop in your bathroom? The bloody blade sitting by the sink? What explains that, Jack?” I said lowly. I walked over and stood directly in front of him. 

“Show me your arms.” 

“No.”

“Jack, show me your arms.” I said, my voice rising by the second.

“Mark, I’m not showing you my arms.”

I roughly took a hold of his right arm and pulled down the sleeve. I ignored the yelp that came from Jack, along with tears. There were countless cuts in his skin, most of them red and irritated. Some were certainly fresher than others, and some looked very fresh. Too fresh.

“Jack, what the fuck is this?! Why didn’t you tell me?” I yelled, staring straight into his eyes. I ignored his lower lip trembling and the pained expression quickly reading across his face. I stormed off back to the bacon without a reply. “Un-fucking-believable.” I growled as I put the bacon on a plate and cracked the eggs into the pan. 

“Why have you been doing this to yourself?! Why did you…” I screamed, oblivious to the fact that Jack was behind me, sinking to his knees in tears. I stormed out of the kitchen in rage as Jack whimpered quiet “I’m sorry”s s as he held his head in his hands in tears. 

I got dressed quickly and came back into the kitchen, still in my rage. “Jack, we’re going to the psychologist. Now.” I growled as I jerked him up, eliciting a yelp. I grabbed my car keys and dragged Jack out to the car, shoving him into the passenger seat and slamming the door. I then got in on my side and backed down the driveway at an alarming rate. 

“M-Mark I-“

“Shut up.”


	16. Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But that bit of time was just enough for me to go under.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACKS POV

Jack was scared. Mark was obviously angry at him for cutting, and he had lashed out. Not physically, of course, but his words cut into Jack like a knife. Now he was being shoved into a car and taken to a psychologist. Jack was still scared, and his breathing was becoming shallow. He didn't look at Mark, hunched angrily over he steering wheel. He looked out of the window and just looked at the cityscape. LA was a beautiful city, but it was also the place where he had been hurt. Tortured. Abused. Hurt.

Mark finally pulled up to a building and turned the key in the ignition. He then exited on his side and came over to my side, practically dragging me out of the car. I followed him inside, where we waited for a bit.

But that bit of time was just enough for me to go under. 

A wave of panic hit me with full force while I was waiting, and I immediately shrank back in my chair. My eyes grew wide and I started hyperventilating uncontrollably. Tears came to my eyes as panic was replaced with terror. Visions of Ethan and Xander filled my thoughts and I lost touch.

Mark looked over in the chair next to me and realized what he had done. He was in front of me within seconds, frantically trying to calm me down. His warm brown eyes filled with fear as they stared into my eyes. I didn't catch anything he was saying. A lady from across the room started to call a name and stopped midsentence and ran back into the room. 

Another person ran out and was trying to calm me down. He and Mark talked a tad before they both tried to get me to come back to reality. I didn't hear a word they were saying until Mark spoke louder and clearer.

"Jack. Jack. I'm here. You're ok. You're safe."

"Jack, breathe. In...Out. In...Out. There you go, you're getting closer. In...Out."

His deep voice soothed me, calmed me down. He placed his hands firmly on my shoulders and I nearly started again, but I realized that it was Mark, not Ethan, not Xander. Mark. My best friend. My boyfriend. The person I wanted to live out the rest of my days with. The person that gave me light in all the dark. The person that gave me happiness in fear. The person that wiped my tears. The person that kept me safe. The shoulder I cried into. The eyes I could get lost in. The smile that brightened up a room. 

Mark said a few more things before my breathing turned back to normal and I had calmed down. He smiled and slowly stood me up again and walked me, along with the psychologist, into the room. Mark pulled the psychologist to the side and whispered a few things to him, probably explaining what I had been through in the past year and how I was doing. The psychologist nodded and whispered a few things back to Mark before Mark receded back into the corner and the psychologist sat down.

The psychologist was fairly young, probably in his 30s or 40s. He had short, blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a well structured face and a strong jawline with a small bit of stubble. He seemed very nice so far, and I wondered why I had always refused help before. 

"Hey Jack. How're we doing today?" He asked. Well, I had woken up, been interrogated by Mark, shoved into the car, and had a panic attack. No, I couldn't say that. "It's been a bit rough today." I replied. From there, we talked a bit more and then I went into multiple machines and tests from then on. I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, which was what I had feared. I was prescribed a medication and was sent on my way


	17. Jump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're not dying on me today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> iT GeTSBE t t ER 
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARKS POV

Jack had been taking his meds as prescribed and making regular visits to the psychologist. He seemed to be getting better, and things were starting to look up again for him. He wasn't cutting as often and he moved back into our bedroom and we started sleeping together again. It was nice to be able to cuddle with him again, and he wasn't nervous or anxious, just happy, content. 

I had just made breakfast and we had both gone off to record our videos. He had started off with YouTube again, doing a video every other day. The fanbase was incredibly excited and happy that Jack was back in full function, and a wave of relief spread over social media, even people who didn't watch Jack were happy to see that he was ok. 

Jack was in a pretty good mood today after his morning coffee, and he had even more energy after his video. Mark wasn't quite used to this just yet, but his medication was working. Or, so it seemed. 

Mark was had just finished his videos when Jack walked out of his bedroom and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going out for a walk, Mark. I'll see you in a bit." He said quietly. "Alone?" I asked. He simply nodded and pecked me on the cheek again before walking out the door.

After he was out the door, I plopped down on the couch and turned on the news. It was all stuff about terrorists and politics and more politics, and there were some things in the LA area. Jack's case was on the news for weeks after he was found, but the buzz had died away now. But at one point, it started covering a bridge jumper off of the Sixth Street Viaduct. They seemed to be familiar somehow, like they had the same body shape or something.

And then I realized it.  
Time slowed.  
I saw the flash of green hair on the TV.  
I nearly spat out my drink, pulled on my shoes as fast as possible, and grabbed my keys.

Jack was not dying on me today.

I ran out to the car and started the car before I closed the door. I sped down the driveway and started racing to the bridge. I played the news in the background from my phone to see what was happening. I drifted around a few corners as I drove, getting quite a few honks from other people. But I was focused on getting Jack off that bridge. My foot became heavier and heavier on the gas pedal, and I drifted a few more corners before I braked the car and leaped out before it was fully stopped.

I hit the ground running.

Time slowed. 

My footsteps grew faster.

I hurled myself over the police tape.

I then did something totally out of my realm.

Just as Jack fell, I jumped onto the concrete barrier and hooked one elbow around a metal support beam and caught Jack's leg with the other hand.

Jack inhaled sharply as he felt it and twisted around. 

"Mark, what are you doing here?"

"I'm saving your life. You're not dying on me today."


	18. Saved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few shuffles.
> 
> A few whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the quality of the chapters is slowly dying the longer I stay at this camp.(spoiler alert: I was right)
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACKS POV

After I kissed Mark again, I headed out the door. But instead of taking a walk, I caught a taxi to the Sixth Street Viaduct. 

I looked out the window at Los Angelos. These would be the last few glimpses of the beautiful city before... I took a deep breath and steeled myself. My video today was titled 'Goodbye' for a reason. And that was how I apologized to everyone who watched me, everyone who knew me, everyone who had heard of me. I bit my lip. All I really ever did these days was cause people sadness and pain, especially Mark, and I didn't want to put too much pressure on him. I needed to be cut out of the picture. I needed to go. Forever.

The cab stopped at a shop near the bridge. I slowly made my way up on the bridge, the cool Los Angelos breeze ruffling my hair. My jaw tightened as I saw all the cars passing by to my left, not giving a care in the world what happened on the bridge. They were all headed back home, to friends and family. I exhaled deeply at the thought and geared up as I thought about Mark. We could've been married if I wasn't so horrible. We could've possibly adopted a kid and been parents. What a wild thought.

And then the time came. 

I stopped and turned to look over the barrier, looking at the sparkling river down below. It all looked so peaceful, so serene. Almost like someone wasn't going to die in it. I closed my eyes and just listened around me, hearing the conversation of a young couple and the honking of horns. Almost like nothing was going to happen. LA life as usual. Nothing was out of place or odd right now. 

Jack reopened his eyes and steeled himself again. He took a few deep breaths before he hoisted himself onto the barrier.

Jack held onto two support beams and looked about the city. He hear cars screech to a halt behind him and the running footsteps. He had an audience to witness his death. How charming.

There were quite a few 'Don't do it!'s from multiple people in the crowd. But I just stood there, lingering there for a long time. The breeze felt nice. It was warm and slightly humid, and the air was crisp. It was fall, of course. The perfect season to fall off the side of a bridge. 

News media had apparently rushed to the scene, and the police pushed everyone back and put police tape down. I could hear people in tears in the crowd. Crying children, crying adults. The police were trying to talk me down from the edge, but I couldn't not jump. I caused too much pain to stay alive. And I didn't want to have Mark be sadder because of me. It pained me to see him, he was just an emotional wreck trying to take care of me, and after everything, I couldn't live with it. Ethan and Xander had done terrible things to me, physically and mentally, and the doctors said that I might never be the same. And by the looks of it now, probably not. So I just needed to end everyone's suffering.

I started leaning off the edge.

The wind grew stronger and it whistled in my ears as I went down.

For a bit, I thought I might succeed.

But a hand firmly held me by my calf, not letting me fall.

I twisted around and saw Mark.

His face was red and splotchy and his eyes were filled with tears. 

"Mark, what are you doing here?"

 

"I'm saving your life. You're not dying on me today."

I hung there from the bridge, both of us staring each other in the eye, and the crowd was silent. The crowd was just watching what happened next.

"Mark, all I've done since I got back is cause you pain. I can't live with that. Just let me die."

Those last few words resonated through the air for a few seconds, the air growing more and more tense. 

"Jack, listen to me. You've been through hell and back. You've had things done to you that most people can't even imagine. And it's tough to recover from that sort of thing. And I won't be able to live with myself without you by my side. I won't be able to live if I know that I let you die. Jack, you mean so much to so many people. You've changed millions of lives. And if you die, any bit of happiness I have is squashed flat like a bug onto pavement. I can't let you die, Jack! I can't-" Mark squeezed his eyes shut. A few tears fell down into the river from both of us. 

He reopens his eyes, his warm brown hues boring into my soul.

"I can't let you die."

The bridge was silent. No cars were moving anymore. The crowd was growing. No one spoke. No one moved. Finally, Mark looked at the crowd and muttered "Holy fuck."

"Somebody help! Anybody, please!" Mark cried out to the silent crowd, tears streaming down his face.

A few shuffles. 

A few whispers. 

After a few minutes of Mark losing hope to have me survive, a kid stepped forward, a mother protesting as he did so, but she was silenced by the crowd. He was probably in high school, and definitely an athlete of some sort, judging by the size of his arms. He walked forward timidly as Mark tried his best to hoist me up. The person didn't say anything, just walked per and grabbed my other free leg, and together, they got me back over the barrier. 

The crowd cheered once they got him over, and that made Mark smile. Mark looked up at the boy who had just saved both of our lives. "Thank you so very, very much. I can't hope to ever repay you." Mark said. The boy looked up at him and met his eyes. "No problem, sir." He said curtly. "Please, call me Mark. This is Jack." He said, gesturing to me. I just smiled nervously and waved. The boy smiled. "I'm Sam. Nice to meet you guys." He said before he disappeared back into the crowd.

Mark looked over at me and his smile faded. "Jack, you really scared me there. You could've easily died. And a life without you is one that I don't ever want to live again." He said before kissing me softly. He then patted me on the back and led me back to the still running car, and we had a short, quiet ride home.


	19. Vegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Jack decide to go on a road trip before PAX South. First stop: Vegas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's nice. It's a nice change from the normal. But will this happy chapter in their lives last? hhhmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMM
> 
> Anyways, this is inspired by tiny_septic_box_sam's Fasten Your Seatbelts, purely because I was stuck in the middle of writer's block ;------;
> 
> So enjoy this bit of fluff while it lasts <3
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

Mark’s POV

After the bridge, Jack had started to recover rapidly. He was much happier, brighter, and energetic than before. It was almost like nothing had happened. And PAX South was rapidly approaching, and Jack was in a place where he could go. We stockpiled our videos and decided to visit a few places on the way to the convention.

I woke up next to Jack on January 13th and slowly slid myself out of bed. Jack grunted a little bit before snoring again. Our suitcases were pretty much packed and our videos were stockpiled. We had both put out a vlog about PAX South, but we decided to leave early to stay in Las Vegas for a night. Then we would go to the Grand Canyon for a day, and then they would drive all the way to Houston to see the Space Center. Then, if we had enough time, we would go to New Orleans. Then we would loop back around to Austin, Texas. And then, on the stage of our panel, I would propose. It all seemed to click together nicely. 

I zipped up Jack and I’s suitcases before leaving the room and making some eggs and bacon before we left for Las Vegas. Jack eventually wandered in, as he always did, his hair a mess, a faint smile gracing his face, his eyes half closed as he made a wobbly beeline to the coffee machine. He made himself his usual coffee and leaned up against the counter. 

“Morning, sunshine.” I said jokingly as I looked up from the simmering bacon. Jack just grunted a little and looked up from his coffee. He smiled at me a small bit and drank some more coffee. He seemed a slight bit more tired than usual, but what we did last night probably had something to do with it. I blushed at the thought and went back to trying to focus on the bacon. 

Once all of the breakfast was gone and all of the memories of last night were out of sight, we both sat down at the table and ate our eggs and bacon. I kept looking up to make sure that Jack was eating enough, since he had had problems eating when he was kidnapped and around the period of the attempted suicide. But he was back to his normal eating patterns, which was eating anything and everything all the time. 

Once we had finished eating, we shoved our stuff into the car and hopped in. About 20 minutes later, we were on the highway, Jack sound asleep again next to me as we barreled down the road. I looked over a few times, and each time, Jack was sound asleep most of the time, and he would mumble things here and there. Once he mumbled a soft ‘Mark…’ before turning over and snoring again. Mark smiled softly after hearing that and turned his attention back onto the road. 

Jack eventually groaned softly and opened his eyes. It was evening and they were getting close to Las Vegas. “How drunk are we getting tonight?” Jack asked groggily. “Well, with your strong Irish genes, I might be under the table by the time we’re done.” I said, grinning broadly. Jack laughed a little bit, his voice bright and vibrant. I smiled at how happy he was. He was finally safe.

Jack and I marveled at the giant neon sign illuminating our entrance to Las Vegas before we drove around looking for the cheapest parking spot possible. We eventually just parked on the side of the road and paid the ten dollars. Then Jack practically dragged me into the sea of people lining the streets. Many people shouted homophobic slurs, but they were lost in the ocean of noise.

Jack dragged me into a casino and we spent some time there, betting with machines for the start of it. Jack only won ten dollars, which was enough to make up for parking. Then we headed over to another place, and Jack was too nervous to play with a dealer. So i sat down and met his stare, even if my draws were bad. I ended up winning 30 dollars.

So far the night was doing alright, but what do you do when the clock strikes 11:00? Get drunk.

Jack dragged me into a small bar on the corner with a bright neon sign. I didn't have the opportunity to read it before I was seated on a stool. Jack ordered the whiskey, of course, and we drank shots until 11:30. From there, we stumbled out of the bar, clutching each other, and somehow stumbled through the swarm of people. And then we somehow got a room at some sort of hotel. And then the rest of the night was a hot, steamy, pleasurable blur until 1:00.

————————————

The next morning, I was awoken my the rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds and straight into my eyes. I groaned as I opened my eyes. Jack and I were both completely naked, and I had a throbbing headache and a very upset stomach. I quickly stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom and managed not to puke on the floor. 

After I was done puking my guts out, I looked back at the mirror. I was very pale, even a little greenish, and I did not look good at all. My hair was a mess and I still had a white, sticky mess all over my torso to take care of. And then I still had to get dressed. I walked out of the bathroom to see that Jack had just closed the blinds and pulled the curtains, making for a dark room. Jack stumbled through the darkness to the bathroom while I sifted my hands through my luggage, looking for something to put over my bare skin. 

I winced as I heard bile hit the toilet water, and then there was a flush as Jack walked out of the bathroom. “Might’ve not been such a good idea to get so drunk…” he said, running his hands through his hair. “Heh, maybe not.” I replied. I finally found a pair of boxers and pants and I pulled them on. I was still left shirtless, but I still had to clean off my chest. We had apparently had a very good night last night.

After I cleaned my chest, Jack cleaned himself, and got some pain medication, we opened the curtains and squinted our eyes as light filtered in. Jack even went as far as to hold up his hands to shield his eyes from the light.

“Jesus, that’s bright.” he said. I simply grunted in reply. When we got used to the light, I reached over for the remote for the TV. “I’m in no shape to drive, and you probably aren’t either.” Jack had gotten his drivers license when he moved to LA. It had been his one biggest regret before then, and I made sure that he got it. He didn't even fail his test once. 

Jack nodded in reply to my comment and I flicked on the TV and sat down on the bed, Jack leaning next to me as we watched Netflix streaming from my phone all day.


	20. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Jack head to the Grand Canyon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluffy fluff ~<3 just for you guys
> 
> I'm just going to say, your comments give me life. Just keep writing those comments.Please. They're amazing. You're amazing. You're all beautiful people. Just don't be rude. Constructive criticism is fine ~<3
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

After our whole day of watching movies from Deadpool to Zootopia, our hangovers were almost gone. We decided to go out into the city again, and we showered and got dressed. Mark redid his hair from how it had been all day, which was standing up all over the place before. I threw on a Game Grumps shirt, and Mark put on his Captian America shirt. We both agreed to not get drunk, since this hotel was expensive. I pecked Mark on the cheek as we walked out of the room, and held his hand walking down the hallway, stairs, and lobby. 

We entered the dense environment on Las Vegas immediately. We hadn’t had anything to eat all day, so we sat down at a Five Guys and ordered. When we were still waiting for our food, Mark pulled out his phone and quietly whispered an “Oh shit.” I looked up from my own phone questioningly. “We forgot about the fucking car. Shit shit shit shit!” He said, his voice growing from a harsh whisper to a normal indoor voice. We still waited for our food to arrive, but we scarfed it down. I was able to eat the entire burger and fries, which was a big step from even a few months ago. Then we walked out of the restaurant, saying a quick thank you before we started walking towards where they had towed our car. 

When we had finally pushed through the mob of people at a fast pace to the place, Mark rested his hands on his knees for a minute before continuing on. He entered the building with a deep sigh. We walked up to the front desk and coughed up the 250 dollars to get the car back with a groan. Mark ran his hands through his hair while they got the car back. He grunted something that sounded like a thank you as he plonked into the car, me doing the same.

We decided to not do any gambling or anything and decided to continue on the open road. We took the same road that we had taken from LA to Las Vegas, which was I-15, of course. I decided to drive the four hours, since Mark had already driven us from LA to Las Vegas. A little bit after I pulled onto the highway, Mark leaned his chair back and fell asleep. The moonlight seeping through the window as we drove from the thriving metropolis of Las Vegas to desert illuminated his face beautifully, and I could’t help to glance over and admire his sleeping form. 

It was peaceful to drive on the highway late at night in the middle of nowhere. There weren’t many people out and about at this hour in the middle of the desert, and it was so quiet and serene. The desert went past the car in a blur, but farther out, I could see canyons and rocky structures that soared over the height of an average human. The only thing making a sound in the car was Mark softly snoring away, lost in his own little world. He would sometimes talk in his sleep and one time, he even went on a rant about our love. My heart melted while I drove then, just hearing him quietly rambling away about us in his beautiful voice. A faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I drove on.

I kept driving until 1:00 AM, which is when we passed the Grand Canyon. There were a few little things here and there around the park, including a Holiday Inn. I pulled into the parking lot in front of the brightly lit building and tapped Mark’s shoulder. “Mark, wake up.” I whispered as I pulled his shouldered back and forth. His eyelids eventually fluttered open and he rubbed his eyes. His eyes were a special shade of warm brown with the light hitting them, like someone just poured all of the warmth from his heart and soul into his eyes and added a light topping of beauty to them. I could always get lost in them, and Mark didn’t mind. 

After staring into his eyes for a bit, I finally crawled out of the car and took my suitcase out. Mark did the same, and we walked in and signed in at the front counter. The lady at the front desk looked very tired and generally done with life, but she was kind anyways. Mark lugged all of our stuff to the top, to which I thanked him with a hug and a kiss, and he blushed slightly as we walked the rest of the way to our room. Mark pushed open the door to the room, and we both immediately crashed on the bed and fell asleep side by side. 

I had a pretty ridiculous dream. I had just gotten back home from PAX South. But the entire house was painted green. The vinyl siding was green. The windows were green. The trim was green. The car was green. The driveway was green. Even Mark’s hair was green. I shrugged it off for now and walked up to the door, which was now green, and opened it. The entire interior was green as well, and there was a faint figure in the corner, watching me. It was obviously a ghost, and that scared me. So, out of instinct, I grabbed the green gun laying on at the table and ran out of the house.

I ran all the way to the Sixth Street Viaduct, where I had tried to kill myself. The ocean underneath was choppy and wild, and it started washing up onto the bridge. Then, a tremor shook the ground under my feet and the bridge collapsed into the ocean. I, however, was still exactly where I was. I was flying. I looked up at the sky and saw how dark it was. There was a giant cloud of smoke leading to a volcano in the distance. Then a duck flew and hit me square on, and a bomb simultaneously exploded as I fell into the water. All my bits exploded everywhere, and the only thing left was my skull. 

I awoke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. I quickly realized that I had just woken up Mark, who was looking at me with a worried expression. I caught my breath and wiped my forehead before speaking. “Nightmare?” he asked. “Yeah. It was strange. The house was green, then the sea was wild, then an earthquake happened when a volcano erupted and caused the bridge to collapse. But I was flying, so I floated in the spot where I was. Then a duck hit me straight on, triggering a bomb that blew me up into gore, and the only thing left was my skull. It didn’t make a lick of sense. I dunno what to make of it.” I said to him, curling up against his chest. “We all have crazy dreams, Jack.” Mark said as he kissed my forehead sweetly and wrapped his arms around me. It was five in the morning, and Mark reached over to the remote and switched on the TV and pulled up Netflix. We then watched How To Train Your Dragon 1 and 2, me curled up in Marks arms on the bed, just together and happy before we went to the Grand Canyon.


	21. Serenity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait until our wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

Mark’s POV

Once it was 8:00 in the morning, and the movie had ended, I pushed a softly snoring Jack off of me and changed into shorts and a t-shirt, and I started filling up water bottles for the Grand Canyon. I had also brought a camera, a Sony EOS20D. It wasn’t horribly nice, and I had put on the landscape lens. But it was still fairly nice, and it was certainly better than a phone camera. I was packing it into my backpack along with water bottles and some of the snacks when Jack groaned. I peeped my head out of the bathroom where I was packing. “Good morning.” I said with a smile. Jack turned over, his eyes half open. “Did I fall asleep during the movie?” he asked groggily. I simply nodded as I went back into the bathroom to continue packing.

I heard the blankets as Jack thew them off and stepped by the side of the bed. He walked into the bathroom and put his head over my shoulder. “Whatcha’ doin’?” he asked, his voice low and slightly tired. “Just packing out stuff for our walk around the Grand Canyon. It’s going to be beautiful out there. But not as beautiful as you are.” I said with a small peck on the cheek. Jack blushed slightly and got his own bag and started packing more water and snacks. “You gonna be taking pictures?” he asked in a slightly less tired voice. “Yeah. I want to remember this.” I said as I put another box of granola bars in. He smiled and grabbed the bag of Cheetos sitting on the counter in his bag on top of some water. 

Once we had finished packing, he got dressed while I grabbed hats and sunblock. Once we finally pulled on our shoes, I grabbed the keys and opened the door with our luggage behind us. The brightness of the hallway offset me a small bit, but it was no big deal. We found the elevator this time, and of course we used it. We then checked out of the hotel and walked out of the doors.

I drove to a nearby Starbucks first, because Jack was whining about being tired. Jack immediately sucked it all down as soon as he got it, and he had finished right as we pulled up to the Grand Canyon. I parked in their small parking lot and hopped out, grabbing Jack’s empty coffee and throwing it away.

We walked into the tourist center and got brochures and stuff at the front desk, and I asked the lady for trails around the canyon. “You can take the beginner path, which just takes you around the general area. You can also do the intermediate path, which snakes by the edge of the canyon a few times. If you’re up to it, the advanced path goes by the edge for a lot of the time, and then snakes back out to meet with the intermediate path. I hope you guys have a great time!” she said with a cheery wave. 

Jack and I decided to walk the intermediate path, and we started walking. The first part of all the paths was right next to the canyon, where I snapped a few great photos of the canyon with the camera and I took a few selfies of us by the canyon and uploaded them to Instagram. Then we walked the path, stopping to take breaks every thirty minute to apply sunscreen, eat something, drink something, and take photos. After about 4 hours, we had run through half of our food and water and I had gotten some great scenery, and some great photos of me and Jack.

We got back to the parking lot after 6-7 hours of walking, and we were both sweaty and tired, but happy. We refilled our water bottles and chugged them before we got into the car. I decided to drive again, since Jack drove from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. I was going to drive us for about 9 hours, then we would stay at a hotel for the night. 

I pulled onto I-40 E at about 2:30, and Jack fell asleep after about 10 minutes. He was so beautiful when he slept. But he seemed restless this time. It was a lot like last night, actually. I shrugged it off and kept driving from the desert of Arizona to the slightly less desert of the Texas Panhandle. Nine hours was up when we reached Amarillo, and I pulled into a La Quinta in Amarillo to stay for the night. 

I shook Jack awake, and I smiled as he groaned. It was around 11:45. Jack groggily opened his eyes and looked up at me. “Hey you.” I said, booping his nose lightly. He grunted and slowly slid out of the car, and he came to the back when I already had both suitcases in hand. He took his and closed the back door, and we signed in. Then we went straight to our rooms and crashed again. Every day in this week had been tiring. But I was spending every moment I possibly could with Jack, and it made me truly happy again. To see him smile or laugh was the most gratifying feeling in the world, and I just melted whenever he did so. I just wanted to stay with him for the rest of my life. He was everything to me, and I couldn't live without him again. 

I wondered what our wedding would be like. It would be somewhere in Ireland, maybe out by the sea. All of our family would be there, as well as all of the wonderful friends we had met together. We would be wearing tuxedos with bowties. My bowtie would be red, and his would be green. Then, after we said our vows and we slid our rings on, our officiant would say “You may kiss the groom.”

I couldn’t wait until our wedding.


	22. Highway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life without Jack is not a life worth living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

Mark’s POV

Jack woke up in the middle of the night again, sweating and shaking. I had been awake, watching him toss and turn like the sea. He clung onto me and spoke. “I had the exact same nightmare. I don’t know what it’s about. I don’t know why, but it was the same thing in the car, too. Just over and over again.” He said, clutching my shoulders. I simply wrapped my arms around him and let him cry into my shoulder, softly reassuring him. 

He cried himself back to sleep, and I kissed him on the forehead as I laid back down with him softly snoring. I kept my arms wrapped around him and our bodies pressed together as I fell back into a deep sleep. My dream was a very happy dream, both of us at the con together, having a great time. Nothing was amiss, just two young lovers. 

I woke up the next morning happy and refreshed. Jack, on the other hand, still had a nightmare. It was different this time, though. This time, Xander showed up. I didn’t get much else as he cried. Xander scared him so much. It broke my heart to see how much Xander hurt him, physically and mentally. And Ethan’s death had purely traumatized him. He still had countless scars on his body and his mind that might not ever heal. But I was determined to not have him be taken away from me ever again. Jack was everything to me, and a life without Jack was a life not worth living.

Once Jack had stopped crying, he hugged me for a little bit, clinging to my shoulders with everything he had while he shuddered. He finally looked up with a faint smile. He didn’t say anything, but leaned in for a kiss. My heart still fluttered when we kissed, even though we had been dating for years. It never got old. 

He then got up and showered while I packed up our stuff and went onto the internet for a bit. Cartoon Junkie and Konoira had both drawn amazing septiplier pieces recently, and I reblogged both of them. We still got endless support from everyone in the fandom. I saw a story of somebody who was inspired to come out to their family because of us. It was amazing how much everyone was so supportive and accepting of us, and it motivated us to keep moving forward in our lives, and it really helped Jack recover, to see how so many people cared.

Jack finally came out of the bathroom, still lacking a shirt and having a towel tied around his waist. He always looked amazing, even if his hair was still a mess and he had a tired expression plastered across his face. I had left out his Berlin shirt and a pair of his favorite jeans and shoes, and left out his blue hoodie just in case he got cold. He put it all on and snuggled into his hoodie. I already had on my lucky flannel and jeans, and I had gotten everything other than a hairbrush, toothbrushes, and toothpaste out. 

Jack and I had to share the hairbrush as we did our hair, and then we both brushed our teeth. Jack gave me a quick peck on the cheek as we finished up. I then walked over and handed him his luggage and we both walked out the door together. In the elevator, I pecked Jack on the cheek right before we exited. We got a strange look from a businessman, but we had gotten enough strange looks for a lifetime. 

I signed us out at the front desk, and Jack and I walked hand in hand to the car. I pressed the ‘Unlock’ button for the car and we shoved our luggage into the backseat. Jack decided to drive this time. He didn’t want to have more nightmares. So I agreed, and I fell asleep as we pulled onto the highway and started dreaming.

Jack and I were at the carnival. I don’t know why, but we were. But all of the rides were green, everyone’s clothes were green, it was just green everywhere. And as we were walking along, I saw some strange things. One of the signs had a gun on it, another had a duck. All of a sudden, I tripped on something. When I looked down, it was a skull. A perfectly clean skull. I scrambled away as fast as I possibly could, and I bumped into a woman. “What’s going on?” I asked. The sky was a dull gray, and it looked like ash from a volcano or something. “It’s the apocalypse, can’t you tell?” she said, turning away.

I was very confused at this point. But when I turned back to talk to Jack, a person wearing all black and a hood was holding him in a chokehold with a knife to his throat. I scrambled to my feet and tried to negotiate with them, saying things like “It’s not worth it”, but the person slowly slit his throat. Then the person turned him into gory bits, and I threw up on the pavement. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the horrible scene. 

From behind me, I heard a “You’re next.” and a shot rang out an instant before I died.

I jolted awake. Jack was at a gas station and he was trying to wake me up. He had a worried expression spread across his face, and he was leaning over me. “Are you ok?” he asked in a more high pitched voice. “Yeah, yeah. I just had a nightmare.” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Hmph. I wonder why we’re both having nightmares.” He said thoughtfully before exiting the car and pumping the car full of gas. I got up and went inside, and I picked up some snacks inside, including some coffee for Jack.

Once I got back out, Jack was already sitting in the car, waiting for me. I got in and he pecked me on the cheek, making me smile lightly before I tore open a bag of Doritos and and gave him his coffee. He hugged me before putting the car in gear again and driving down the highway. 

On the highway, we didn’t talk much. I quietly listened to music as I plotted how I was going to propose to him. It was going to be on the stage at PAX. It would probably be around the time when somebody mentioned proposals, since there were always a lot. And I would drop down on one knee in front of Jack as soon as someone brought it up, and I would ask him. 

I was so excited for that day. And it was only next week that I would ask. That absolutely blew my mind. Maybe, in a few years, we might even adopt a little boy or girl. Wouldn’t that be absolutely amazing. It was incredible to think about while driving down the road at 77 miles per hour with the love of your life sitting right next to you, a person you had never expected to love. A 26 year old man that shouted at video games in Ireland became his best friend, and then it all changed one day. It all changed for the better.

Mark had found out one thing.

Life without Jack was a life not worth living.


	23. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And I felt like he would make a pretty good dad, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEEEEEEEEEEEEE / /wh e eze
> 
> This is just super duper fluffy man and I love it.
> 
> BUT WAIT
> 
> WHAT'S THAT COMING OVER THE HORIZON
> 
> OUR FIRST SMALL BIT OF SMUT?
> 
> HOLY SHIT
> 
> Yeh i put a lil beginning of smut in and skipped the rest of it haha  
> still not sure what reactions ill get
> 
> And, huge shoutout to all of the beautiful commenters! I love all of your beautiful, precious comments and I love interacting with you guys! 
> 
> /and balls man we're halfway to 4000 hits thats incredible thank you/
> 
> Also, a little thing I thought about. Polaroid was actually how I met my girlfriend, because at one of the dances they started playing it and we sang along together <3
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

Mark had fallen asleep only a few minutes after i pulled onto the highway, leaving me in silence. There were more people on the highway here, probably because it was the road to Houston. People flying down the road heading to jobs, family, friends, events, and who knew what else. But we were headed there to see the Space Center. Mark had always wanted to visit, and we both had a love for space. 

But at the moment, Mark was snoring. Loudly. It was no longer quiet in the car. I sighed and reached over to turn on the radio. But the first song that popped up was ‘One Dance’. I grumbled and turned the radio back off due to someone trying to swerve into my lane. I pressed the palm of my hand into the center of the steering wheel, letting out a loud honk. The person swerved back into their lane quickly, and I exhaled deeply. 

There weren’t many more stupid drivers trying to take my lane, and I turned the radio back on and turned it to a station that was playing ‘Polaroid’ by Imagine Dragons. I sat back and hummed along with it. I smiled faintly when the lyric ‘love is a polaroid’ played, and I looked over at Mark, who was snoring contentedly. The car cast some shadows across his face, and his face seemed to glow whenever sunlight hit his skin. 

But after a while, Mark started mumbling and shifting around quite a bit. After a bit, he started yelling, and I pulled off onto the nearest exit and pulled into a gas station. I pulled into a qgas pumping spot quickly and parked the car, unbuckling my seatbelt. He was yelling “It’s not worth it!” over and over again, and it scared me to see him this frantic in his sleep. I leaned over him and started shaking his shoulders. “Mark, it’s just a dream. Mark, wake up! Mark!” I started yelling, my Irish accent thickening until he jolted awake, shaking and clutching onto my arms. 

I exhaled heavily and stopped shaking his shoulders. “Are you ok?” I said, it coming out more high pitched than I had planned. He ran a hand through his messy red hair. “Yeah, yeah. I just had a nightmare.” he replied, his voice shaky. “Hm. I wonder why we’re both having nightmares.” I said, kissing Mark before I leaned back in my seat and slid out of the car. I popped the gas tank open and walked over to the gas pump, which had a small, friendly message on it. I swiped my card and selected ‘Premium’ and started pumping the gas. Mark had already gotten out of the car with his wallet, probably going inside to get something to eat.  
Once I heard the clank of the gas pump finishing its job, I pulled it out and set it back to where it was. “Thank you!” the little screen on the pump said as I walked back to the driver’s seat and hopped in. I went on my phone, taking a selfie and posting it to Instagram before Mark walked out of the building with two bags in his hands. Some people walking past gave him funny looks, but he just shrugged it off.

Once he opened the door, he slung the bags into my lap. “Hey!” I laughed as he shut the door. He chuckled and put a coffee mug down into the cupholder. “Aww, you’re too sweet.” I said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. He just smiled as he pulled out a bag of Doritos and started munching on them. I started the car, groceries still in my lap, and pulled out of the gas station.

Mark plugged in his headphones and started listening to music, staring thoughtfully at the open road with a faint smile on his face. I didn’t know what he was thinking about, but I was still amazed at how the sunset made the colors in his eyes shift and change beautifully, filling them with warmth and love. He would sometimes laugh a little, just absolutely melting my heart. 

At about 6:00, we arrived in Houston. I pulled into Hyatt Regency Houston. I had already booked it at the gas station, because why not have a nice hotel. I actually got a room for $99 when the original price had been $518. I was good at sniffing out deals, to say the very least.

Mark and I dragged our suitcases out of the car and started rolling them up to the front lobby. At the front door. He was finely dressed and groomed, with slight stubble and gelled hair. “Here, I can take your luggage.” he said while Mark gaped while I slowly handed him our luggage. He stood there with his hands out awkwardly until he finally just grabbed the luggage himself. 

“I’m Tim Bennett, and I’ll be your room service. You are?” He asked as we walked through the front door. “I’m Jack McLoughlin, and this is Mark Fishbach.” I said. “Nice to meet you.” he said, offering his hand. I shook it, and Mark hesitantly did the same. He waited by the front desk as we signed in, and he took the stairs to let us be alone in the elevator. Mark was still gaping. “How expensive was this hotel?” he asked. “Only $99.” I replied proudly. I swear his jaw hit the ground.

After he had picked his jaw back up, he ran one hand through his hair. “Just another reason I love you.” He said, kissing me sweetly. I was blushing profusely as we exited the elevator, Mark now strutting down the hallway in all his goofy glory. I giggled as I ran after him down the hallway on the way to our room, a heavy blush still spread across my face. 

Once Mark had unlocked the room, Tim put our luggage inside and told us to call him if we needed anything. I thanked him with a slight blush, and he walked out of the room. And immediately, we collapsed on the bed. But not from exhaustion. 

Mark was on top of me immediately, giving long, sloppy kisses before he moved to my neck. He nipped a little at my neck, eliciting a quiet moan from me. Then he kept going on, nipping and licking. Eventually, our clothes slid off as we melted together, a hot mess of moaning and pleasure from that point on.

After we had both climaxed, Mark let out a light moan and laid down next to me in bed. I looked over and pecked him on the cheek. “We should both shower tonight.” I said, giggling and blushing. Mark looked over at me, his soft brown eyes boring into mine. “It was still totally worth it.” he remarked with a smile before getting up and heading to the shower after he kissed me on the forehead. I giggled a little bit more before picking up some stuff and throwing it away, and I got dressed to go down and get new sheets and covers. The woman handed them over with a questioning look on her face.Mark was done in the shower just when I had cleaned everything up and replaced the bedsheets, and I grabbed my clothes and rushed into the shower.

Once I was done, it was around 9:30. Mark was scrolling through Twitter on his phone when I flopped onto the bed next to him, and he put the phone down and wrapped his arms around me. “Tonight was amazing. I can’t wait for the Space Center.” He whispered in my ear. I giggled quietly and kissed him on the cheek. And we went to sleep like that, cuddled together in bed. 

I had already decided that he was the person I wanted to live with for the rest of my life. He was just the nicest, sweetest, most soft and caring person I had ever met. He had such a deep passion for what he did, and he was loyal to a fault. He was always there to catch me when I fell. He was always there to light up my darkest days. 

And I felt like he would make a pretty great dad, too.


	24. Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just me, Jack, and the highway, barreling towards one of the most important questions in my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is long wow
> 
> they met a really cool dude
> 
> actually i used to go to summer camps at the space center it was p cool i have a lot of good memories of that place
> 
> keep commenting please I love your comments they give me life ~<3
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

I woke up first, and I slowly unwrapped myself from Jack and slid out of bed, my feet landing softly on the carpet. I tiptoed around to Jack’s side of the bed, slowly pulling the blankets away from his shoulders. He groaned a small bit and his eyes opened a little. “Good morning, sunshine.” I whispered. “Hey Mark.” he said, smiling faintly. I smiled and walked away from the bed, opening my suitcase and grabbing a shirt, jeans, and socks. Jack slid out of bed and walked over to his suitcase as well, and he went into the bathroom to change while I just changed out in the open. 

When Jack came out of the bathroom, I was almost done making the bed, and Jack straightened out the pillows and folded the blanket over. “Space center?” I said cheerfully, wrapping my arm around his side. “Let’s go see stuff about space.” he said, a smile spread across his face. “Let’s do this.” I said, patting him on the back and sitting down on the bed to put on my shoes. 

Once we had both finished tying our laces, I grabbed our luggage and carried it down part of the hallway. But another ‘help’ person was walking down the hallway, and she took our luggage down the stairs for us, just like Tim had. Jack and I took the elevator, Jack pecking me on the cheek once as we went down. I smiled and rested my arm on Jack’s shoulder. The doors opened after a few seconds of that, and we walked out of the elevator, hand in hand. 

I signed out at the front desk, and the lady handed us our luggage. I pulled up the handles and handed Jack his suitcase, and we walked out the doors to the car, our suitcases rolling over the pavement along with our feet. We threw them in the back seats once we got to the car, and I hopped into the driver’s seat. We still had a lot of food in the car, but most of it was snack food, so I drove us to Starbucks first, mainly because Jack looked like he was half-dead. 

Jack ordered the Cool Lime Refresher and sucked it down when we got back in the car. Then I drove to a nearby Waffle House, and we decided to sit in and eat. We both ordered waffles, and we talked as we waited for them.

“Are we going to make it to Louisiana? Or are we just going to go to PAX?” Jack asked, looking on his phone at the schedule. “We could go to Louisiana after PAX, but not beforehand. We only have a day before PAX starts, so I was thinking that we should head to San Antonio right after we see the Space Center. That way, we have the rest of the day to get acclimated to San Antonio before PAX starts.” I replied, pulling out my phone to check the schedule. “Then ‘Markiplier and Friends’ is at 4:00, and the signing starts at 6:30. Then we’re on the “How to Run a Successful Gaming Channel” at 12:00, and then we have our panel together at 5:00, and then the signing is at 7:30. So we have a busy schedule. I would like to check out Red Barrels’ new game, and I would like to walk around and see everything. Sound good?” I asked, putting away my phone as the waffles came with our drinks.

While we ate, Jack and I reached over to each other’s plates and stole a little bit of food. We both had the exact same thing, just waffles with syrup. After about 20 minutes, we both finished our food. The bill came in and we both fought over it. “Mark, you’re going to be driving today, let me pay!” Jack said, snatching the bill from my hands. “You drove for two days in a row!” I said, pulling the bill out of his hands. Jack rested his hand on my arm. “Mark, you spent a year without me, and then over a year of me recovering. Let me pay.” he said, pulling the bill out of my grasp. I looked into his deep blue eyes. “Jack, you went through Hell.” I said, taking the bill from his loose fingers and signing off on it, putting the credit card inside. 

Jack sat there, looking down at the table. I stood up and slid in next to him, wrapping my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder. I knew that it was always hard for him to think of that time, and felt bad for reminding him of it. He turned and put his head into my shoulder, embracing me tightly as he teared up. “It’s ok, Jack. No one’s going to hurt you again. Not while I’m around. Not while we’re together. Nothing is separating us again, Jack.” I said, lifting his head up so that he looked directly into my eyes. His deep, blue eyes bored into mine, and I could see all of the little variances and shifts in color, every tiny little detail. He inhaled deeply, and smiled a little bit, laying his head back down on my shoulder. 

“I love you, Mark.”

“I love you too, Jack.”

The waitress came by again, simply laying my credit card on the table. I looked over and reached for it, to which Jack made a little sound of protest. I smiled a little bit and pushed him slowly off of me when I put my card away. He looked into my eyes again, smiling. “We should get going.” I said, sliding out of the booth and standing up next to the table. “Space center’s waiting, isn’t it?” Jack said, sliding out of the booth next to me. “Sure is.” I said, pecking him on the cheek. 

I thanked the person at the front and slid my hand into Jack’s, and we walked into the parking lot, holding hands, our fingers intertwined with one another. I unlocked the car and climbed in, turning the keys in the ignition and putting the car in gear. I exited the parking lot and proceeded to wind through the streets of Houston. Once, I even got lost, and Jack got to yell at me in a thick Irish accent, which led to both of us freaking out until we turned onto the right street.

Relationships, am I right?

Once we finally got onto the right road, we got to the Space Center in five minutes, and I parked right near the space shuttle out front. I opened my door and hopped out of the car, Jack right behind me as I started walking to the front doors. I paid the $24.95 fee at the door to get in, and we walked into a giant room with exhibitions everywhere. There was spacecraft, biological samples, astronaut suits, simulators, and the like. Jack dragged me to the Lunar Samples Vault, a place where they had stuff from the lunar mission in it. We gaped at the little spacecraft that they used to get to the moon, and we marvelled at the suits before I dragged Jack back out to the line for Building 9. We waited in line for about 10 minutes, and then we got to see all of the prototyping for more space missions. Jack and I were pretty much enthralled in watching all of the engineers work.

When we exited Building 9 thirty minutes later, we decided to sign up for the ‘Lunch with a Astronaut’, because why not? We ended up having lunch with Buzz Aldrin, which we both jumped up and down excitedly for a while upon hearing. Then it was time to actually sit down and have lunch.

We both sat down, giddy and excited, in front of the one and only Buzz Aldrin, the guy who stepped on the moon and went on the lunar missions and all that jazz was sitting right in front of us. It blew my mind for certain, and I didn’t want to fuck anything up. 

“Hey, I’m Buzz Aldrin. Who are you two?” he asked, offering a hand. We sat there, looking at each other in amazement before I reached out my hand and shook it. “I’m Mark Fishbach, and this is Sean McLoughlin.” I said while he gave me a firm handshake. “Friends?” He asked, sitting down at the table. “Um, dating, actually.” I said, smiling. Buzz grinned. “Really? That’s awesome!” he said. “Yeah.” I replied.

“So, how are you today?” Jack asked politely, leaning forward slightly. “I’m doing fine today. You?” he replied. “I’m doing great, seeing as we’re meeting the one and only Buzz Aldrin in person!” Jack exclaimed. A person came by our table, and she asked us what we wanted to drink. All three of us asked for water, and they handed us our menus and headed back to the kitchen. “So, where are you from?” Buzz asked. “LA, actually.” I said, looking down at the menu. “Really? What brings you here?” he asked, looking up from his menu. “A gaming convention. We’re doing a few panels there.” Jack replied, also looking down at his menu. “Game developers?” Buzz asked, looking back down at his menu. “Actually, we’re both YouTubers, and we both have gaming channels.” I replied, deciding on spaghetti and closing my menu. 

The waiter came by again with our drinks. “What would you like?” they asked, interrupting our conversation. Buzz ordered first, getting a turkey sub. Jack then ordered, getting a plate of spaghetti. They then turned to me, and I simply said, “Just add an extra fork to the spaghetti, please.” “Would you like a larger plate as well?” they asked. “Yes, please. Thank you.” I said, and they walked back to the kitchen. 

“How long have you been doing YouTube?” Buzz asked, resting his arms on the table. “I’ve been doing it since 2011, and he’s been doing it since 2013, but he had a year and a half where he didn’t post.” I replied, looking over at Jack. “And why’s that?” Buzz asked. I looked over at Jack, who just nodded slightly. I told Buzz his story, leaving out some of the gruesome details. Buzz sat back once I had finished talking, and he exhaled deeply. “That’s… That’s rough. I’m so sorry.” Buzz said, a touch of sadness in his voice. “So, what are you working on?” Jack asked, changing the subject to keep himself from tears. “I’m working on the new Mars mission right now, actually.” he replied, taking another bite of his sub. “That’s pretty awesome. What part are you working on now?” Jack asked, putting his fork down into the spaghetti where my fork was, making a small clang. He looked over to me, a small blush on his cheeks as he removed his fork. “We’re still working on the design right now, and we’re starting to prototype some things.” he replied, not seeming to notice what had just happened.

Once we all finished our meals, we stood up and both shook Buzz’s hand, saying how nice it was to meet each other, the like. We departed with a wave and we walked away from each other, but not after taking a selfie with Buzz. I walked out into the main part of the Space Center and we went and looked at a few more things before we walked out the glass double doors and back out into the parking lot. We were going to head from the Space Center straight to San Antonio, which was about 2 hours away. I decided to drive, and Jack slid into the passenger seat as I put the car in gear, and we left the parking lot of the Space Center.

I pulled onto I-10, and Jack was already asleep. I looked over and smiled. He looked so peaceful like that. It was quiet in the car, just the sound of the car and Jack’s breathing. Just the way it should be. There wasn’t any traffic at the moment. Just me, Jack, and the highway, barreling towards one of the most important questions in my life.


	25. Balcony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "To PAX we go!" he exclaimed, driving down one of the main roads in San Antonio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw fluff 
> 
> I've seen some suggestions for more detailed smut. I won't do it in this story, but once I finish this story, I will write a separate fic that has a lot more and more detailed smut. It will probably be awful, but I'm hoping you guys can suffer through one thing before I go to the next story. 
> 
> Shit man I've been writing this thing for almost 2 months! How crazy is that? And by the way, we're almost at 4000 hits. THATS CLOSE TO A THOUSAND HITS IN ONE WEEK. My mind has just blown to little gory bits and HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH <3 you guys are the fucking best i love all of you
> 
> KEEP THOSE COMMENTS COMING I LOVE ALL OF THEM EVEN IF I DONT REPLY I STILL SEE ALL OF THEM AND LOVE AND CHERISH ALL OF THEM ~<3
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

Meeting Buzz Aldrin was a blast. He was super fun to be around, and had an inspiring presence. But at the end of the day, we were in San Antonio, a day before PAX started. Mark was leaning over me, shaking my shoulders to get me to wake up. I opened one eye groggily. “Hey Mark.” I said, my voice tired and quiet. “Hey you. We’re here.” He said. I opened both eyes and sat up, against the nagging voice that told me to go back to sleep. We were parked in front of Hotel Contessa, and of course Mark had booked a nice hotel. I looked over at him, and he smiled goofily before he exited the car. 

Mark signed in with the person at the front desk, a very nice lady. She gave us the room key and told us that if we had any concerns, we could just call for assistance and someone would be there to help. With that, we wheeled our suitcases into the elevator and went up to our floor. 

It was a very nice room. We had a king sized bed and a pull out couch, and there was a TV on the wall and two desks, and two walk in closets with a very nice bathroom. We also had large windows facing out towards the city, where we got to see San Antonio sprawled out, and all the lights and nuances of a big city. It was mesmerizing to look at. We also had a balcony, which me and Mark went out to stand on. A cool breeze was blowing, and we could see most of the city from this vantage point. 

And Mark and I just stood there, feeling the breeze against our skin, shifting out hair this way and that, our hands entwined together as we looked out onto the beautiful cityscape. Every few minutes, I would look at Mark’s face, just serene, his eyes reflecting the light of the city, his warm brown hues observing everything in sight. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. It was surreal, just watching the city shift and change. And with the person I loved most.

I rested my head on Mark’s shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around me, and we stood there for another 10 minutes before he shifted to walk back inside. I lifted my head off of his shoulder, and we both walked back inside. It was refreshing to feel the cool breeze blow, to watch the city. But after that, Mark and I just changed, brushed our teeth, and flopped onto the bed, curling up together for the night, Mark holding me with his warm arms, our bodies against each other under the blankets. 

The next morning, Mark pulled the blankets off. I groaned and mumbled something in protest, and curled up into a tighter ball. “C’mon Jack, we gotta go to PAX.” Mark whispered in my ear before pecking me on the cheek and sliding off the bed. I opened one eye when I felt his warmth disappear, and I groaned once more as I opened the other eye and squinted against the light streaming in from the window. I rolled over as Mark was changing, and he gave me a dirty look before I turned back away quickly. I then decided to roll out of the oh-so-comfortable bed and get dressed. 

After I had finished showering and changing, I came back out into the room, where Mark was scrolling through something on his phone. “Ready?” I asked, grabbing the car keys and spinning them around my index finger. “Yeah. Let’s head downstairs and get breakfast, and then we can go to PAX. I don’t want you crashing in the middle of the panel.” Mark replied, closing his phone and putting it in his back pocket, and I handed him the keys as we walked out the door.

I got coffee, waffles, and some fruit for breakfast, and Mark got some sausage, waffles, muffins, and orange juice. We sat down at a table for two outside, and the breeze was still blowing. “So, what are we doing today, oh great Markiplier?” I said, grinning broadly. “Oh, my dearest jacksepticeye, we are exploring PAX first, and then we have FunEmployed at 12:00 with the great Emma Blackery and Pewdiepie, and then we get to walk around and hang out until we have the Markiplier and Friends panel at 4:00, and that goes for 2 hours, and then the signing starts thirty minutes after that.” Mark said, doing a really bad british accent and sitting up taller. Then we both burst out laughing, taking a break from our food.

Once we had finished breakfast and I had sucked down my coffee, Mark stood up and put his plate on the conveyor belt before we walked out of the building together, and walked across the parking lot to the car. Once we got to the car, Mark unlocked the car right as I pulled the handle, and he smugly got in as I kept standing outside. He laughed and pressed the unlock button again, and I pulled open the door and slid in. A warm smile radiated from his face as he put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. “To PAX we go!” he exclaimed, driving down one of the main roads in San Antonio.


	26. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 50,000 volts straight to the nipples.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOI I DIE SHIT BOI IM SO SORRY I LOVE ALL OF YOU IM AN ASSHOLE AHHHHHHH ;n;
> 
> stolen: return of the xander
> 
> THIS THING IS SO LONG HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT
> 
> but it took so long and im so sorry my dudes 
> 
> but we hit 4000 hits today! HOORAY! all of you dudes are amazing and cool and i love all of your beauty.
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> keep those comments coming. post whatever thoughts you have. i may not reply, but i see all of them!

MARK’S POV

It was time for our first panel. We had been socializing with Emma and Felix a bit, and they were happy that we were so happy together. A guy from Maker Studios came up and told us that it was time to go on stage, and we all looked at each other, kind of commencing the first panel we did together at PAX South. Pewds stepped out first, of course, followed by Emma, then Jack, and then, I finally stepped out, seeing a crowd spread in front of us. Everyone was clapping, and all of them were excited to see us. It was always amazing to see that so many people cared. So many people came so far to see their favorite creators and favorite game developers. And here we were. On stage. It was only to play a simple round of Cards Against Humanity (They had changed it).

Jack did the first draw, which was “A romantic, candlelit dinner would be incomplete without _____”. “Oh good.” Felix said, looking through his cards. We all put our white cards on the table. Felix’s was ‘Used panties’, of course. Emma’s was “The penny whistle from ‘My Heart Will Go On’, and mine was ‘Spectacular Abs’. We were all chuckling, and Jack pointed to Emma’s with a shaking finger. “Yes!” Emma exclaimed, throwing her hands up. I drew next. 

This is the way the world ends/  
This is the way the world ends/  
Not with a bang but with _____

The others picked through their cards. Jack chuckled a little bit, his eyes sparkling with laughter. I loved seeing Jack’s emotions. They were all so bright, so unique. I smiled faintly before the results from three chuckling group members came in.

Felix: 8oz of sweet Mexican black-tar heroin.  
Emma: Child beauty pageants.  
Jack: Sean Connery.

Emma snorted with laughter as we all looked over the results. “Oh man, it’s close.” I laughed. I pointed at Felix’s, and he jumped back and held his arms up with a whoop. I doubled over with laughter. Jack repeated the sentence to the audience, which was also laughing. After we caught our breath, Emma pulled.

What is a girl’s best friend?

I found one and laughed suddenly, getting odd looks and a “What is it?” from Felix. “Oh man.” I said, smiling broadly. I slid the card onto the table, and everyone else did likewise, and we all started laughing.

Felix: A bucket of fish heads.  
Jack: A Bop It.  
Mark: A Super Soaker full of cat pee.

We all kept laughing. It took a few minutes for Emma to actually be able to point to anything, simply because she was laughing so hard. “Ah, oh my god guys, this is too funny. But Felix, I think you know what ladies want the most out of the three of you.” she said, laughing. “Hey!” Jack and I shouted in unison, before laughing a bit more. But, after we had all laughed so hard that our stomachs hurt, Felix pulled.

I’m sorry Professor, but I couldn’t complete my homework because of _____

“Oh dear Jesus.” Jack chuckled, his irish accent coming out on ‘Jesus’. We all laughed at our choices before each of us shakily put a card down. 

Emma: The Wrath of Vladimir Putin.  
Jack: The Milk Man.  
Mark: Giving birth to the AntiChrist.

I was crying from laughter, and Felix was having a similar issue. “Which one?” He said, raising his hands up and looking up. “By the power of Goku, I choose…” Felix said with a dramatic pause. “Giving birth to the AntiChrist!” He said, slamming his finger into my card. Emma was on the floor, laughing her ass off. Jack was leaning heavily on the table. I broke out into a coughing fit. Once we finally all stopped dying, I pulled the next card.

What is Batman’s guilty pleasure?

“Oh Batman, what’re you doing without Alfred?” Emma joked, and we all chucked a small bit before they placed their cards on the table.

Felix: 50,000 volts straight to the nipples.  
Emma: Harry Potter erotica.  
Jack: German dungeon porn.

Jack slammed his hand down on the table and looked up. He was crying with laughter, like the rest of us. I chose Jack’s with a heavily shaking finger as I was doubled over with laughter. A Maker person came through our headsets and said a quick,”Time to go.” I nodded. The others heard it and stopped laughing sooner. “Alright everyone. Thank you so much for being here, and have a great day!” I said with a wave. The crowd cheered as we exited the stage. But when we got off, I thought I saw a glimpse of Xander. I pushed the thought away. It was probably just someone that looked like him. A coincidence.

That thought ate at the back of my mind as Jack and I walked around the convention. But it didn’t bother me too much, and Jack and I tried out game demos and took a few pictures with fans that we ran into, and we had a good time. Time seemed to fly until 3:30, which is when we had to be backstage to get ready for the next panel.

It was Bob, Felix, Ken, Jack, me, and Wade all on the panel. Everyone started filling up the theatre around 3:45, and we finally headed out on stage. I stepped out first, since the panel was ‘Markiplier and Friends’. I saw a familiar face in the crowd, in the front row. It looked like Xander. Exactly like him.

Not a coincidence.

But I didn’t have time to worry about him. Jack was next up, and he bowed exaggeratedly as he stepped out onto the stage. Mark smiled as he did so flamboyantly, and the audience loved it. Mark looked over to Xander. A slight smirk crept on his face. I was unimaginably nervous after seeing Xander in the crowd. I didn’t know what he planned.

Felix was next, and he came running out, blowing kisses and the crowd went wild. I pushed the thought of Xander to the back of my mind and continued on with the panel. Ken strode across the stage, chest puffed out, and the crowd kept on cheering. Then Bob just came out waving. There was less cheering, and then Wade did a goofy run onto the stage, earning a laugh from the audience. 

The panel was a questionaire this time around, and we all sat down in the chairs and couches, and Jack somehow squeezed next to me in a chair. The crowd ‘awwww’ed and clapped, and then they all settled down, eager to hear what we had to say. The people in the back pulled up the first question, and we just started going on and on. I looked over at Xander a few times, and the fifth time I looked, he was gone. I kept my racing thoughts to myself and faked a smile as I nervously wondered where he had gone.

Oh for Christ’s sake. He could’ve just gone to the restroom. Maybe it’s not even Xander. 

About three quarters of the way through the panel, Jack mentioned proposals. We tended to have one or more every year, and it was a huge honor. My heart raced and time seemed to slow. Not because of anything to do with Xander. Out of anticipation.

I pulled a small, velvet box out of my back pocket and slid out of the chair into a kneeling position facing Jack. His face lit up like Christmas as I opened the small box, revealing a small, black, shiny hematite ring with a small emerald embedded in the top of it. Jack covered his mouth, and the audience went totally silent.

I had been waiting so long to do this.

“Sean William McLoughlin, will you marry me?”

Jack lowered his hands from his mouth, a broad grin still spread across his face, and his eyes shone with happiness. 

“Yes, yes, Mark of course!” He exclaimed, tackling me onto the floor. He laughed a small bit and gave me a peck on the cheek as the crowd roared with whoops, whistles, and clapping. I sat back down with Jack and scanned the crowd, seeing all happy and smiling faces. Except until I got to Xander.

He looked mad.

Very mad.

I pushed that out of my head yet again. I didn’t need a memory from the past taking my mind off of what I had just accomplished. I mean, Jack and I were going to get married! 

The panel ended with laughter and clapping as we all walked off, and the highlights from the panel would be online soon. Jack and I got high fives, hugs, and congratulations from the rest of the people on the panel. 

The signing was a half hour after the panel, and we got a ton of congratulations from all the fans. It was still so amazing to see how many people cared about us. And I was truly grateful that our communities were so kind and caring. There was little drama, and all of it was drowned out by all of the positivity. It was amazing.

Jack and I signed out of the convention at the end of the day and hopped into my car. I pecked Jack on the cheek as I turned the key in the ignition, and then I pulled out of the parking lot, both of us smiling as we drove down the road.I pulled into the hotel when the sun was just setting, and it was all so peaceful.

Until we were in the lobby.

The person at the front desk turned as white as a sheet and put her hands up. “Sir, please step out of the building at this moment! We do not allow firearms on the hotel grounds! I will call the police!” she shouted, putting her hand over by the phone.

“I’m only here for one person. If they cooperate, no one gets hurt.” the person said with a lilt.

Jack and I whipped around, and we both turned pale as well. 

Xander was standing right in front of the doors, and he had a pistol in hand. Tears came to Jack’s eyes. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no…” he whispered under his breath. Shivers were sent down my spine as a lump formed in my throat. 

Xander had an insane glint in his green eyes. “If Mark here moves a millimeter, i shoot. If Jack here tries to run, I shoot. If this young lady here tries to call the police, I shoot. You all cooperate, no. One. Gets. Hurt. Except for maybe this little fellow named Jack if he becomes disobedient and resistant, but that’s saved for… Later.” He said liltingly, flashing an unsettling smile. 

Jack breathed heavily and he stiffened. “I can’t let you fuck up his mind again. You did so many horrible things to him, you maniac!” I said, grabbing the nearest vase. 

Xander did as promised. A bullet ripped through my side as he grabbed Jack’s collar and yanked him away, and the lady at the front desk dialed the police as I slowly blacked out from the pain.


	27. Forced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But for some fucked up reason, it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV  
I woke up in the back of Xander’s car, in the trunk. My hands and feet were tied, and I was gagged. I felt fear and anger as we drove down the road. I couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black in the back of the car. I suddenly wondered how Mark was doing. He was probably scared and mad as well and… he was injured. Possibly dead. My breath caught in my throat as that thought crossed my mind. Tears came to my eyes as I thought of Mark sitting alone in a dark hospital. I gritted my teeth and tried to move my arms, but to no avail.

I was trapped.

Suddenly, we pulled up a slope and stopped. The car turned off and Xander slammed the door. He then forced open the door to the back where I was. I squinted as light from the moon hit my eyes, but they were open wide again as Xander dragged me out of the trunk and cut off the ties for my legs. “Walk.” He demanded, a gun pointed at my head. I swallowed hard and started walking in the direction of his place again, tears stinging my eyes. 

My nightmare was coming to life.

Xander opened the door, and the familiar concrete room greeted me with repressed memories. I took a shaky breath as a tear rolled down my face. “We’re going downstairs. Your favorite room.” Xander said with a small laugh. A shiver went down my spine as I walked forward. This couldn’t be happening. No. It was all just a dream. Any minute I would wake up, safe in Mark’s arms. It would all be a dream. Mark would be ok. None of this would’ve ever happened. 

I swallowed hard as I started down the stairs, a lump in my throat forming as my foot hit the cold, hard, concrete ground at the end of the stairs. I started hyperventilating, and Xander punched me in the base of the neck, making me gasp. “Keep. Walking.” he said, but it seemed more like a threat than anything. I still had a gun pressed against my temple as I walked back into the dungeon.

The dungeon.

I had hoped that I would never see this room again. I had hoped to never think about this room again. But life had just fucked me over again, hadn’t it?

Xander threw the gun to the side and pinned me to the wall, and turned into an animal, what he usually did. And I fell from the chains that night feeling weak, hopeless, pained, scared, hopeless, and broken. Xander simply laughed as he shut the door again, leaving me in silent darkness. It was all quiet except for my quiet sobs echoing around the room as I cried myself to sleep. 

This went on. Every day. Minimal food. Minimal sleep. Minimal care at all. I deteriorated again, mentally and physically. I never got out of the one room for the longest time. I didn’t have the energy or the motivation to escape, and I didn’t have the strength to withstand more of Xander’s sessions. I eyed the knives many times. Many, many times. But then the image of Mark kept returning, over and over again, his warm brown eyes, his deep, caring voice, and I cried for hours on end. I cried daily. It was a routine by now. My life was just a travesty. My life was just pain.

One time, Xander pulled out a ring. Silver. Gold. He tossed it up in the air and caught it repeatedly as he walked towards me, his eyes glinting. “Marry me.” he said in a threatening tone, his eyes glinting with madness. I breathed heavily, and I looked into his green eyes. There was no humanity left. A tear slipped down my face as I said something that decided my fate for the next few months… or years. 

Tears came out of both of my eyes as a lump in my throat formed. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut, praying that it wouldn’t last forever. 

“Yes.” 

Xander grinned evilly as he left the room laughing. I collapsed to the floor, sobbing disgustingly. What the hell had i just gotten myself into? What was going to happen when the vows were said? I couldn’t have said no. It was a demand, not a question. I kept crying as I thought more and more of Mark, my breath starting to come in ragged gasps as black spots clouded my vision. I eventually passed out from a lack of air, tears still streaming down my face.

This couldn’t be happening. 

This couldn’t be real. 

But for some fucked up reason, it was.


	28. Objection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I object!” I yelled, standing up. But I wasn’t the only one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dude ive wanted to write this scene for so long you dont even know like m9 its insane how much anticipation ive had
> 
> im not sure how much longer this fic is going to go on. its probably going to top out at 30-35 chapters, which is absolutely incredible because I havent been discouraged yet. And over 4000 views on my first story is insane. thank you all so much.
> 
> also, your comments are very appreciated. i may not reply, but any sort of criticism is appreciated, and anything you have to say is amazing. Just dont be rude it hurts me feelys ;n;
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

MARK’S POV

It had been six months since Jack had been taken again, and I had recovered from the bullet wound. I was not doing well mentally, and that was a problem, since Jack’s family was going to stay at my house for… something. Their flight from Ireland was supposed to come in today, and I was an emotional wreck. But I got in my car anyways and fired up the ignition, backing out of the driveway and heading to the airport to pick them up. 

Once I got through airport security, I met them at the gate. “Mark! It’s so good to see you again! How are you? I didn’t know that you and Jack had broken up. What happened?” Jack’s mom said, wrapping her arms around me. “N-nothing happened…” I replied. “Then who’s the chap Jack’s getting married to?” she asked. Questions started swirling around in my head. “Let’s talk about it when we get to my place.” I said, my brow furrowed as I took her luggage. 

The drive home was silent, me wondering what the fuck was happening as I drove. I pulled into the driveway at an unsafe speed and shut off the car, opening my door and going straight to the trunk, pulling out a few suitcases and carrying them in. The rest of the family followed, carrying other assorted things. I pushed the suitcases into different rooms along with the rest of the family, and then I sat everyone down on the couches and chairs in the living room. 

“So, what is the name of the person that Jack is marrying?” I said. I prayed that it wasn’t Xander. Anyone except Xander.

“Xander Clements.” FUCK. 

“No no no no no no no no no…” I said, running my hands through my hair. “What does he look like?” Maybe it was a different Xander Clements.

“Black hair, green eyes, pale skin, small nose-” “Shit, shit shit shit!” I said, louder this time. “What’s wrong?” Jack’s mom said, her brow furrowed. “Can I come to the wedding?” i asked quietly, tears in my eyes and my hair an unruly mess. “Y-yeah, sure. But what does Xander have to do with anything? He seems nice enough.” Jack’s dad piped in. “How far away is it?” I asked. 

“It’s two days from now.”

And I waited those two goddamn days, and on that day, I got up early. Not on purpose. Just anxiety. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got up and started making breakfast. Today, it was pancakes and bacon. Jack’s mom wandered in first, going over to Jack’s coffee machine and making herself some coffee. I didn’t ever really look at the coffee machine anymore. The memory of Jack usually made me cry. But today, a small blossom of hope had buried itself inside me. 

“Smells good.” remarked Jack’s dad in the kitchen. I nodded and flipped a pancake. The rest of the herd came into the kitchen just as I was done, and I put everything out on plates for everyone. I wasn’t used to cooking for this many people, and I ran out of bacon. But we had plenty of pancakes, so it was fine. 

I then piled everyone into the car and I drove off. Jack’s mom pulled up Google Maps and directed me to the place where Jack was getting married. To a monster. I pushed the thought aside as I pulled into the parking lot of the place, and I got out and pretty much stormed to the front door. I held the door for everyone, and I entered last and took a seat in the back. And I nervously fiddled with the cuffs of my suit as they walked down the aisle. Jack looked incredibly distraught and uncomfortable, not to mention that he was thin and did not look good at all. 

Everything was said.

It was pretty much all said and done.  
The officiant turned to the rest of the audience before the rings were dealt. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.” he said with a straight face.

“I object!” I yelled, standing up. But I wasn’t the only one.


	29. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After four and a half years, I didn’t have to worry about Xander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dude i feel like this is the most anticlimactic thing ;n;
> 
> but i'll have a chapter for the trial, the wedding, and who knows, maybe one way in the future where they have kids and theyre standup comedians and actors and shit who knows
> 
> and this is the last chapter before I go to pittsburgh and i had four chapters from the wisconsin trip and that was just in the car that i had saved so i will hopefully be able to get stuff out to you guys
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com

JACK’S POV

Everything had been said, and I had lost most of my hope - and my composure. So when Mark stood up and yelled “I Object!” I broke down. I desperately tried to hold myself together, but I was so emotionally raw that I couldn’t stop. 

But Mark wasn’t the only one.

A man about 6’ was on the other side, and he looked a bit like Felix, blonde hair, blue eyes. He had some muscular structure, but it wasn’t overwhelming, and he was giving Xander a death stare like I had never seen. Mark, on the other hand, was teary eyed, and his voice had even cracked a little bit when he yelled out. 

The room went completely silent.

The blonde on the left went first.

“Xander, I have known you for years. And you weren’t like… this! What the hell is going on here? I went back and visited your place, only to find this,” He held up a picture of my ‘session’ room,”and I will call the motherfucking police on you, because before I left for Sweden, you were completely sane. What the hell happened, Xander?” he spat, his words seeming to sting like venom to Xander. 

I mean, this was the first time I had ever seen Xander show any emotions. His jaw tightened and his eyes wettened a small bit, and he bit his lower lip. But he wasn’t given a break. Mark spat fire next.

“A) That is my fiance. B) You kidnapped him… Oh, I don’t know, the first day of PAX South this year, and that’s not mentioning what you did before. The murder of Ethan Escaraa, the son of the CFO of Sony, and you have several charges for theft and kidnapping. You are currently one of the most wanted criminals in LA, and psychologists declare you insane. You, Xander Clements, belong in a mental asylum.” Mark said, his face hardening and his voice getting scarily deep. 

But Xander regained his composure and stood up straight and looked out into the audience. “Guys, guys, you’re upsetting the groom. You should real-” he started before I was sick of his voice filling the room.  
I dried my eyes and stood up straighter. “No, you have it all wrong, I’m fucking relieved that someone has the goddamn sense to notice that something is wrong, and yes, I have been forced to marry you. Yes, I have been raped over 60 times by you, only this motherfucking year, and that’s not mentioning that you murdered Ethan right in front of my eyes. Oh, and I don’t know, I was mentally scarred before after the first time and now I probably need a visit to a mental hospital?” I backed him up against the wall. “Yeah, you really belong somewhere other than here.” I said. But he grabbed me and spun my back around, my back hitting the brick hard. I suppressed a yelp, but my feelings from previous feelings surfaced. 

“Xander, your whole family - and mine - are here.”

“They are just a bunch of friends. A coverup.”

“Along with the police.” 

A slam came from the door as the LAPD made an epic entrance. “Xander Clements, you have the right to remain silent.” a woman said as she handcuffed him. “Anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorn-” and they left the room. It was painfully quick, and Mark rushed up to the front of the room right as I fell to my knees.

“Jack, Jack, he’s gone. You don’t have to be worried about him anymore. He’s going where he belongs. You’re finally safe.” he whispered as I cried onto his shoulder, my arms wrapped snugly around him. 

It was finally over. 

After four and a half years, I didn’t have to worry about Xander. 

There was no longer a lingering thought pestering the back of my mind, or at least, it wasn’t half as strong as before. I looked into Mark’s warm eyes, and he smiled weakly. “Let’s go home, shall we? Your family’s here. They can stay as long as they needed to. And next time, let’s make this our wedding. You and me. And, I don’t know, maybe a few years from that, adopt a kid. Live our lives.”

“Together.”


	30. Returned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm glad I got to spend my life with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUDE I WAS FUKIGN CRYING WHILE WRITING THIS OH MY GOD 
> 
> im sorry for not writing much else. i had a pretty good time in pittsburgh, not including the anxiety attacks. but this is a nice chapter.
> 
> I hope you guys liked this story as much as I did! and this isn't the end. (if you think this chapter was tear inducing, you just wait.) I will be doing alternate endings, ethan's story, and xander's story, so this thing is nowhere near being done. 
> 
> FOR ALTERNATE ENDINGS, PLEASE LEAVE SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS. THAT WAY THERE ARE MORE OF THEM, WHICH MEANS MORE CONTENT, WHICH MEANS MORE HAPPINESS. 
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> and, dont forget to leave a comment anyways, they're all read! i might not reply, but i see every single comment posted, and i love all of them. so comment to your hearts content!
> 
> THE FIRST ALTERNATE ENDING IS UP!

THIRD PERSON

Mark and Jack got married exactly where they wanted to, right by one of the cliffs of Ireland. Mark wore a red bowtie, and Jack wore a green one. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and the crashing of the waves against the cliff brought a whole new aspect of beauty into it. The best man for Mark was Wade, and Jack’s best man was Felix. It was officiated by Bob, and everyone else was out in the seats. 

The ceremony went by so fast, and everyone clapped and whooped when Bob said the famous line “You may kiss the groom.” Then they had a great time at the reception, drinking people under the table, singing horribly, the like. They ate all of the cake, and Jack and Mark were sober enough to dance, unlike their parents and friends. And the newlyweds danced the night away until 2 AM, when everyone dispersed off. Jack and Mark stayed in a hotel and we all know what they did that night.

When they got back to America, they bought a small house, and a few years of living in that by themselves, they decided to add a third into the family. And after another year passed, another one. One boy and one girl, Sam and Tim. And they grew up so fast. Tim took up violin at 5 and kept playing for the rest of his life, and Sam did very well in school, getting into Harvard. Jack became a voice actor and Mark became an actor, and they were very well known around the world. They starred in many hits and classics, but neither of them stopped YouTube. They still had loyal fanbases, bigger if anything. 

They both acted well into old age, and they only retired around 85 years old. And then they travelled the globe, visiting all over the place, and spending time with their grandchildren. Sam was married to a fine woman named Audrey, and Tim was married to Stephanie. Sam and Audrey had a daughter, and Tim and Stephanie had two twins, both boys. They loved visiting grandpa Jack’s and Mark’s house, especially since they had moved to a much bigger 4 story house with a basement, garage, and attic. 

But that was all well and fine, but the inevitable was coming.

“Mark, do you remember when we were young? The years before we got married?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“If you hadn’t been there, I would’ve already been dead.”

“Well, if you weren’t alive, I would’ve died, too.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Mark. I’m glad we met. I’m glad we decided to become YouTubers. I’m glad that we went to all those conventions, all those panels and signings.”

“I’m glad I got to spend my life with you.”

“I love you Jack.”

“I love you too, Mark.” 

Both of them had tears in their eyes, and Mark wrapped his once strong arms around Jack’s small frame, and they both fell asleep, and they took their last breath.

Mark Fishbach, age 97, and Sean Fishbach, age 96, both passed away on June 1.


	31. Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> doot noot

Ok so I hate how this is written right now. I set out to write the best fic I could _at the time_ but I've improved a _lot_ since then. I've started to focus on chapter length and quality instead of how quickly I get each chapter out. I look back at this and cringe... a lot. I could do so much better with this. So when I finish up Damned, whenever that might be, I'll get to work on rewriting this. I had a lot of logic gaps that I aim to fill in and I might add more to the story, even change it. I want to make this the story that I originally had in mind now that I've grown more and more. I was contemplating deleting it, but it was my first fic EVER. I feel like it may be a bad idea to delete my very first fic, especially with the extraordinarily warm welcome that you all gave me! I'm still so shocked that I got so many people to read this and so many people enjoyed it so much! It's incredible. I thought it was amazing to have 10 hits and now I have 6000!!!!! Everyone has been so kind and welcoming in the comments and I couldn't have ever imagined that the very first I thing I ever post was received so warmly. But I feel like I can do so much more with this idea. I guess this can count as a New Year's resolution. So you have something to look forward to in the next year!  



End file.
